BLOG: Oduya Brings New Techniques to Development Camp

To promote the benefits of off-ice training through this year's development camp, Johnny Oduya provides a new technique to the Chicago Blackhawks prospect group in his class on breath work.

After he provided the same session to the veteran roster earlier in the season, the Blackhawks invited the former defenseman back to teach the younger players. He stepped in to provide a new experience for the prospects and a different insight on how to properly prepare their bodies whether it be for games or a normal workout.

"Working with older players is one thing but now getting these [players] that are really new and kind of fresh and give them any insight into whatever that might be, I think that's something really fun to do to be able to share that," Oduya said.

In his 13 seasons, Oduya played a total of 850 games and produced 190 points (41G, 149A) between seven teams but spent a majority of his career with Chicago. He captured two Stanley Cups with the Blackhawks in 2013 and 2015. While he knew he wasn't the superstar on the roster, Oduya still was able to find his role to help the team win.

As players continue through the NHL pipeline system, he states that players have to understand that not everyone goes through the same journey. They don't have to compare their development to others but rather focus on their own development to help their game grow to earn their spot.

"Everybody's in an individual process," Oduya said. "How do you find your process? And how do you understand what's important for your development and getting it better and all these things. I think just now just introducing something new to them and see where it lands."

The former Blackhawk currently teaches breath work classes with his company Hale in Stockholm since 2019. As one of the co-founders, he provides different techniques to promote performance, health and wellbeing with different breathing techniques.

In his session at the Blackhawks development camp, the Swedish native found that a majority of the players have heard of meditation and breath work, but only a few have implemented it into their routines. While it's nice to hear that the prospects heard of it, but to put effort into the process can create more benefits for their development both on and off the ice.

"We always [knew of it but] it doesn't matter if it's training or food and nutrition, whatever it is, you have to be able to do it," Oduya said. "Otherwise, you can know [as many] things as you want, but if you can't implement it and deal with them, it's something different."

If prospects start to build the techniques into their workout and routines early on, then this can create bigger strides into better habits.

"I think you can use it at any form," Oduya said. "If they can use it now in the off ice [training], they can start to think about it. I think the biggest step always, when I teach people about this, is understanding that there's something there. There's something that can actually affect the change."

While he never experienced a camp similar to this in his career, he noted it can only promote more insights to help the prospects' growth as NHL players.

Whether it's through the breath work class or the advice he can share, he is grateful that he can talk about his experience from on and off the ice to teach the younger generation of Blackhawks prospects.

"It's something that I think it's good that I actually do want to share with in some ways," Oduya said. "So, I hope that they feel it's something valuable and then, of course, I'm really happy the Blackhawks also see that this is something that could be valuable for the younger players."