Marchand says first few games upon return will be 'really, really ugly' - Sportsnet.ca
It’s the job of the NHLer right now to just be ready so that if the league is cleared to play again, they’re fit enough to start back up for playoff season.
But speaking on his own conference call on Thursday, Boston’s said just being off the ice for so long would lead to side effects on its own.
“The toughest thing is, it doesn’t matter what you do off the ice, you can run, you can bike, but nothing will really simulate the workout you get on the ice. You can’t duplicate it, you can’t replicate it,” he said.
“It doesn’t matter who does what in this break we’re all going to feel awful coming back. We’re all going to be bad. It’s going to take a while to get it back. That’s probably the biggest concern. If you take guys that have been off that have had limited opportunity to work out and haven’t skated in months, you can’t just throw them back into games.
“Everybody’s going to get hurt. There’s gotta be some kind of ramp up period. It’s going to be really, really ugly for the first few games so it’d be nice to get a couple games before playoffs start, otherwise it’s really a free for all.”
And then there’s the idea of playing without fans. Sure, Marchand will continue to be the same pest of a player to his opponents, but if he can’t have that interaction with people watching the game, something will be missing.
Right at a time when the games would be at their most important, Marchand says a key part of that whole environment will be noticeably absent.
“It would be like a practice really. That’s kinda the way it’d feel,” he said. “One of the most exciting things about the game is having the fans there for support and the energy and the momentum swings they can create.
“But if that’s what it takes for us to get back on the ice and play, we just want to get on the ice and play. Hopefully they can find a way to make that happen. If it’s without fans, it’s without fans. We just want a shot to get that Cup.”
It’s the job of the NHLer right now to just be ready so that if the league is cleared to play again, they’re fit enough to start back up for playoff season.
But speaking on his own conference call on Thursday, Boston’s said just being off the ice for so long would lead to side effects on its own.
“The toughest thing is, it doesn’t matter what you do off the ice, you can run, you can bike, but nothing will really simulate the workout you get on the ice. You can’t duplicate it, you can’t replicate it,” he said.
“It doesn’t matter who does what in this break we’re all going to feel awful coming back. We’re all going to be bad. It’s going to take a while to get it back. That’s probably the biggest concern. If you take guys that have been off that have had limited opportunity to work out and haven’t skated in months, you can’t just throw them back into games.
“Everybody’s going to get hurt. There’s gotta be some kind of ramp up period. It’s going to be really, really ugly for the first few games so it’d be nice to get a couple games before playoffs start, otherwise it’s really a free for all.”
And then there’s the idea of playing without fans. Sure, Marchand will continue to be the same pest of a player to his opponents, but if he can’t have that interaction with people watching the game, something will be missing.
Right at a time when the games would be at their most important, Marchand says a key part of that whole environment will be noticeably absent.
“It would be like a practice really. That’s kinda the way it’d feel,” he said. “One of the most exciting things about the game is having the fans there for support and the energy and the momentum swings they can create.
“But if that’s what it takes for us to get back on the ice and play, we just want to get on the ice and play. Hopefully they can find a way to make that happen. If it’s without fans, it’s without fans. We just want a shot to get that Cup.”
