Maybe this will help some of you
It’s about the Canucks team that went to the final and includes comments from Bieksa
https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/...-history-part/
Quote:
BIEKSA The identity of the Canucks. We really felt like we were the best conditioned team in the world. We took a lot of pride in that. You are what you value. We valued being in top shape. We argued over who has the better bike times, who’d burn the most calories. We were all in probably the best shape of our lives. When Chris Higgins comes in at the deadline, he has to [do a fitness] test right away and he’s like, “What the hell is this?” That’s what our team was — in unbelievable shape. Our bag skates at the end of practice weren’t, “Let’s get through it.” It was competitive. I’m going to beat Henrik, Henrik wants to beat Kes, Kes wants to beat Burr. I feel that translated into our games. We came at teams in waves.
We were fast and physical … so highly skilled. We didn’t always have the biggest team, but we had every guy come in and finish their hits on you and re-attack and just swarm you.
TAMBELLINI When your two best players, Danny and Hank, win the strength and conditioning every year, if you don’t show up in good shape, you look like an idiot. The standard was so high in the room. And there was never a time when guys complained about doing the work. The gym was always busy. It was just paying the price to stay in great condition. It wasn’t like anybody was told to do something. That was part of everyone’s daily routine.
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