CBC-Sports

The dog days of the season are behind us

February 6, 2009 05:22 PM | Posted by   Kelly Hrudey  

On the count of three, let’s all let out one gigantic Yaa-Hooooooo!

You see, that’s what we do here in “Cow Town”, better known as Calgary, when we’re really excited about something during the Stampede, which is our equivalent to a state fair.

Yaa-Hooooooo just so happens to be the unofficial expression of the “Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth”, better known worldwide as the Calgary Stampede.

Get back to hockey, Kelly, you might be saying to yourself. So why am I so excited right now?

Well, it’s very simple. The so-called “dogs days” of the season are now behind us.

The players will now be rejuvenated, they can see the finish line, they know every single shift from here on out is crucial and every point is paramount to a playoff spot.

There is no doubt that players can’t be at their best all the time during an 82-game schedule, it’s just too much of a grind.

On top of the gruelling life they lead they are also faced with distractions like the rest of us.

Heading into the month of December, it’s not unusual for the guys to lose their focus a little. They may be preoccupied with things like holiday shopping, or, if they have children, the joy of attending school plays, those sorts of things.

Early January, the next goal they have in their sights is the all-star game because they get a couple of much needed days off. Typically, the guys and their families get to sneak away somewhere close for a little R and R.

After that, there are no more scheduled breaks and for that reason, it’s time to buckle down and refocus.

It’s all business now. Coaches really put the screws to the players at this time of the year, ensuring no bad habits form. I know it’s a cliché, but this is the time coaches remind players to pay attention to the details. Those details win and lose games in the stretch drive and the playoffs.

So what do we the fans get back in return?

Exceptional hockey.

Yaa-Hooooooo!

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