Exciting is the word that best describes the first day on the ice at Canada’s training camp.

Players had to dig deep to pass the on-ice fitness test set for them by head coach Martin St-Louis.

A test that has been on the agenda for a long time. So the players were not surprised.

The exercise was very simple: do three laps on the rink and six times with about two minutes rest between each repetition.

Phew!!!

A Canadiens leader I met at the ice’s edge in Brossard told me he had never seen anything like it in his career.

The players were exhausted, exhausted and out of breath. It hurts. And I can understand her.

Also, new defenseman Mike Matheson told me his legs were burning so bad it was tiring and it felt the same as climbing a steep hill on a bike. By the way, I thought Matheson looked really good in this test. He has shown that he is an excellent skater and that he is in good shape.

In my opinion, this condition test was not intended to punish players. no It was initially a matter of seeing who was in good shape and who wasn’t. And second, it was more about uniting players and creating a sense of belonging.

During testing, I found that the players encouraged each other to keep going and not giving up, despite the pain and suffering that might befall their bodies and minds.

I felt this was the first stage of this culture that Martin St-Louis wanted to establish in his dressing room. A bit like saying: “Despite all the obstacles and pitfalls, we are together, we are a family. At least that’s my perception of things.

Because that is the biggest challenge of the organization. Leaders and coaches need to create a sense of unity. The next few months will offer their share of obstacles and the team must overcome them to hope for better days.

One step at a time.