Throughout the last few weeks, the Chicago Blackhawks took in some extra practice days in between their spread-out game schedule early in the season. As they look ahead, they will now prepare to take on a schedule where they will play in a game almost every other day along with a back-to-back this upcoming weekend.
Head coach Luke Richardson viewed the early schedule to help condition his team not only to be in physical shape but to help them get into the grind of a game-heavy schedule.
“Guys are all in great shape in this league, but I think you'd get into that next step of game shape,” Richardson said. “We're just talking, the conditioning and the mentality. The body gets that muscle memory going and you just go.”
In the Blackhawks’ last few practices, the team endured some intense drills to help them transition their skillsets in some potential game scenarios and help the younger members of the team transition to the NHL style of play.