Saturday, January 14, 2012

NHL Gameday Live blog: Young guns working hard to get back on the ice

For those fans wondering what players do on game day skates who are not playing, here are a few examples.

Jeff Skinner - Carolina Hurricanes

Last year's Calder Trophy winner is coming back from a concussion injury and was recently cleared for contact. At the tail end of today's pre-game skate, Skinner was tasked to stick handle his way through assistant coaches Tom Barrasso, John MacLean, and Dave Lewis.

Judging from his ability to move within and around these Stanley Cup winners, albeit with their combined ages totaling around the 140 year mark, the 19 year old looks closer to having the ability to move in tight spaces.

Welcome news for everyone in Raleigh.



Jeff Skinner dangles around his assistant coaches

Brad Marchand - Boston Bruins

At the other side of the building, the Boston Bruins' Brad Marchand traveled with his team to Raleigh currently serving a five-game suspension for a clipping penalty during a game against the Vancouver Canucks a week ago Saturday.

Even though he will not play against Carolina, Marchand still got his reps in with assistant coach Doug Jarvis earlier on Saturday.




Brad Marchand putting in his reps while serving his suspension

Both Skinner and Marchand are important young players to their teams and are not playing for different reasons.

Two different styles of players but both with the same drive and determination to come back and be ready to do so.

Injury nor suspension trumps desire.

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