I have been back around town for the last two weeks getting my house settled, the pantry stocked and getting back into the routine of practice. The routines are the toughest early season transition because of the amount of stress free time the summer provides. I never find myself rushed or looking for time to myself during the summer... During the season it is another story. Our time during the season is regimented and dedicated to being prepared to play hockey, so even though we do end up having a lot of open afternoons or evenings I will spend time resting or preparing to play, not running around town or living like a rock star (which seems to be a popular misconception). I approach hockey like a job and try to commit time daily to my nutrition, conditioning, hockey skill and mental well being.

Nutrition doesn't mean just eating three meals... Nutrition means eating good meals, taking the right supplements and paying attention to not only what I eat or drink, but when. My goal for the season is to stay on top of the fuel I am putting in to my body so that I can maintain a high energy level the entire season.

Conditioning comes through our normal daily practice but I have other areas that I need to address over a season. I pay special attention to the way my hips, back and groin feel on the ice. Most days I will do a workout routine off the ice that is dedicated to making sure these core muscles are strong  while other days I make sure my muscles are rested or recovering with massage/stretching after a light workout. This keeps me from having to worry about pulled muscles or strains that happen more frequently when your body is fatigued.

Hockey skills are obviously important to reach the NHL and to become an elite athlete it is important to always keep working on becoming better. I try to watch film from each game I play and I will even watch other games or other players to learn all I can about the game. Video is becoming such a common tool in the NHL that anyone not using it is probably at a disadvantage. Most nights I know that the opposing team has put my tendencies on the board and they probably have videos about any habits I may have developed. I feel like it is part of my job to watch video and pick out what I can through self evaluation and keeping an open line of dialogue with my coaching staff... The smallest habits can sometimes turn into big issues when they are not addressed. Most of my on ice practice time is spent making sure I am doing things the right way so I don't have to consciously think about it during a game.. All I have to do is think about passing options a player may have and the puck.

Mental well being is simple in plan... Tough in execution. This is all about making sure I am getting time to myself to do things that I want to do. Not what I need to do. I need to practice, I need to go to the grocery store, I need to talk to the media... Without doing things that I want to do, even with a great job like playing hockey, I can get very stressed out. It can't be all about one thing all the time.

So back to the routines and on to a new season. I am excited...