There is something so calmingly nostalgic about these videos. The raw hockey sounds in an empty little practice rink. I write a blog like this every year about this time because without fail, it puts me right in Hockey Season Mode. Development/Rookie Camps are in full swing all over the league. For me that is the bookmark signaling that it is time, summer is over and the new NHL season is basically here.
I love the start of a new hockey season. It’s like the start of a new school year. Everyone gets a clean slate, there is so many opportunities for players to completely surprise you, you never know what kind of drama is going to play out. It’s exciting and I am stoked for things to get started. What’s also going to be fun is having to relearn entire rosters because I feel like there were so many moves this off season.
What’s going to be even more interesting to watch as training camp and preseason approach is the RFAs situation happening. I don’t know the last time this many big name RFAs were still up for contract negotiations this late in the summer. Kirill Kaprizov, Elias Pettersson, Brady Tkachuk, Rasmus Dahlin, Quinn Hughes, Kailer Yamamoto, Robert Thomas, Nolan Patrick, Logan Brown, and Dylan Coghlan are among them. Preseason games start October 12th so things have got to move along quickly. As a Vancouver fan I need those two deals signed tomorrow please.
I’m also excited to read up on all the things that will be going on at training camp. It’s just great to hear predictions on how players may be this year, what they worked on over the break. There is nothing quite like the start of hockey season for me. It’s a new beginning and it’ll be great to have the start of the season in October again. Fall is in the air, it’s turning cold, you can throw on a nice sweater and head out to watch a game — it’s simply the best. I’m so excited to write preseason predictions again and I have great feeling about my teams this year. Tomorrow is a new week but it means we are just one more week closer to NHL hockey and I just think that’s neat.
Find more at ham-sports.com
Visit our shop here
Tweet me @shortman_hams
Tweet us @ham_sports
Featured Image: Colorado Avalanche
Ham Sports 