Post by G.G. on Sept 12, 2015 20:37:11 GMT -5
Johnston: ‘We’re going to ramp it up’
LONDON, Ontario – Mike Johnston’s first training camp was remarkably demanding.
Players could barely move after the workouts. Many said it was the most grueling camp they had experienced at any level of hockey.
The sequel might be pretty nasty, too. Johnston promised it, in fact.
Johnston, as soft spoken and likable as they come, is stern when it comes to camp.
“We’re going to ramp it up,” Johnston said. “It will be ramped up even more than last year, for sure.”
Why?
“Because I want to set the tone early,” Johnston said. “I want to set the tone as it pertains to pace and the standard that we’re going to have around here.”
Johnston finished most of last season’s training camp workouts with an array of sprints similar to those that were made famous by Herb Brooks in the months leading up to the Miracle on Ice. In fact, Johnston continued to put players through sprints on occasion during the season.
Get used to more pictures of Penguins dragging themselves from the goal line to the blue line – and then the red line, and the next blue line – time and time again.
“I can tell you this,” Johnston said. “Training camp is going to be really hard. And that’s as it should be. It’s training camp.”
Johnston insists he didn’t run such a hard camp last season in order to get his team’s attention. Such a thing would have been sensible, with a junior coach taking over a team of superstars.
The coach shakes his head at this suggestion. Preparing his team to play a fast style is the only reason for such a camp, he says.
“It wasn’t about me letting them know I was the coach or anything like that,” Johnston said. “I just need them to know how I need them to play. Speed. Tempo. Transition. That’s going to be stressed even more.”
The pace of a practice, Johnston insists, has a profound impact on how a team plays. He doesn’t like long practices. Rather, he prefers a quick 40-minute practice that is filled with intensity.
“When a drill starts, you aren’t going to see us by the boards (discussing the next drill) for five minutes,” he said. “It will be for 40 seconds. I want things snappy. I want things fast. And the easiest way to get your team to play that way is to do it that way in practice. Speed. Tempo.”
Defensemen and young players should be especially aware of Johnston’s demands.
“The young guys had better be ready,” Johnston said. “I want them to understand early what kind of pace we’re expecting.”
Johnston feels like his defensemen lost their way at some point late last season. He loved their style in the early going, when they were jumping into the play with regularity and using their speed to impact games.
Training camp will be used to help his blue line find that form.
“It’s a big thing for our defense,” he said. “I want our defense engaged. And I feel like that really dropped off last season. That can’t happen again.”
The Penguins’ best players should make a demanding camp a rewarding one, Johnston said.
“Their practice habits are really good,” Johnston said. “It’s led by Sid (Sidney Crosby). Geno (Evgeni Malkin) plays with a ton of energy in practice. So do (Kris) Letang and (Marc-Andre) Fleury. They’re always the last guys off the ice. Those are good habits for an organization to have. And I could tell when I got here that this was a team that already had really good practice habits. That’s a great thing.”
It won’t be all torture, this training camp.
“We will space out the (preseason) games (there are eight of them) so it’s not too heavy of a load for anyone,” Johnston said.
But it won’t be easy. The coach knows his team a lot better than he did at this point last season, and he sees a team that needs pushed.
“There is a comfort that comes with knowing your team better,” he said. “It was a little different last year. Now we know our team, with the exception of a few new players. There is comfort.”
For the coaches, anyway.
It would appear that some temporary discomfort is on the horizon. The coach doesn’t wish to punish his players, however. Johnston just wants his enthusiasm to rub off on them.
“There’s focus, drive, excitement,” he said. “This time of year, I feel a really rush of adrenaline. When September comes, you want to ramp it up. And we will ramp it up.”
Jarry shines
Tristin Jarry came 42 seconds from producing a shutout as the Penguins’ rookies defeated the Senators’ rookie, 4-1, in London on Saturday.
Jarry didn’t look particularly sharp during rookie camp in July. He looked quite good in game action, however. He was pleased with the outing, which showcased his athleticism.
Sprong impresses again
Daniel Sprong didn’t score in this game, but he still had the puck more than anyone else. The puck follows this kid. I don’t know when he’s going to make it to the NHL, but he certainly has the talent to reach that level.
In fact, he might have the talent to be an impact player at that level.
Sprong showcased his ability to protect the puck with his large frame on a number of occasions. He’s got great hands, and strong offensive instincts.
He did get yelled at once by Penguins coaches though. In the first period, after an overextended shift, he attempted to beat a defenseman instead of getting the puck deep. He turned the puck over.
Little things like that will need improvement. But the big thing – immense physical skill – is clearly evident.
Loney looking large
Ty Loney has really been a strong performer in London. He scored on Friday and, though he was held off the scoreboard today, was a presence.
Like his dad, Loney doesn’t own blazing speed. But, like his dad, he’s a big kid and willing to go to the net. He’s got a pair of hands, as well. I believe he will project as an NHL player at some point.
“He’s been very good,” Wilkes-Barre/Scranton coach Mike Sullivan said. “Solid.”
So far, so good
The Penguins aren’t exactly known for their great pool of prospects. Publications have ranked them dead last in the NHL this summer, in fact.
But they’re 2-0 so far in London. They deserved their victory against the Canadiens on Friday. And they absolutely overwhelmed the Senators’ prospects on Saturday, even while playing without Derrick Pouliot, Oskar Sundqvist and Scott Wilson. Those three are probably the best Penguins in London. They were given the day off.
“I just wanted us to be the hardest-working team here,” Sullivan said. “And I think we’ve done a very nice job so far. We’ve competed very well.”
LONDON, Ontario – Mike Johnston’s first training camp was remarkably demanding.
Players could barely move after the workouts. Many said it was the most grueling camp they had experienced at any level of hockey.
The sequel might be pretty nasty, too. Johnston promised it, in fact.
Johnston, as soft spoken and likable as they come, is stern when it comes to camp.
“We’re going to ramp it up,” Johnston said. “It will be ramped up even more than last year, for sure.”
Why?
“Because I want to set the tone early,” Johnston said. “I want to set the tone as it pertains to pace and the standard that we’re going to have around here.”
Johnston finished most of last season’s training camp workouts with an array of sprints similar to those that were made famous by Herb Brooks in the months leading up to the Miracle on Ice. In fact, Johnston continued to put players through sprints on occasion during the season.
Get used to more pictures of Penguins dragging themselves from the goal line to the blue line – and then the red line, and the next blue line – time and time again.
“I can tell you this,” Johnston said. “Training camp is going to be really hard. And that’s as it should be. It’s training camp.”
Johnston insists he didn’t run such a hard camp last season in order to get his team’s attention. Such a thing would have been sensible, with a junior coach taking over a team of superstars.
The coach shakes his head at this suggestion. Preparing his team to play a fast style is the only reason for such a camp, he says.
“It wasn’t about me letting them know I was the coach or anything like that,” Johnston said. “I just need them to know how I need them to play. Speed. Tempo. Transition. That’s going to be stressed even more.”
The pace of a practice, Johnston insists, has a profound impact on how a team plays. He doesn’t like long practices. Rather, he prefers a quick 40-minute practice that is filled with intensity.
“When a drill starts, you aren’t going to see us by the boards (discussing the next drill) for five minutes,” he said. “It will be for 40 seconds. I want things snappy. I want things fast. And the easiest way to get your team to play that way is to do it that way in practice. Speed. Tempo.”
Defensemen and young players should be especially aware of Johnston’s demands.
“The young guys had better be ready,” Johnston said. “I want them to understand early what kind of pace we’re expecting.”
Johnston feels like his defensemen lost their way at some point late last season. He loved their style in the early going, when they were jumping into the play with regularity and using their speed to impact games.
Training camp will be used to help his blue line find that form.
“It’s a big thing for our defense,” he said. “I want our defense engaged. And I feel like that really dropped off last season. That can’t happen again.”
The Penguins’ best players should make a demanding camp a rewarding one, Johnston said.
“Their practice habits are really good,” Johnston said. “It’s led by Sid (Sidney Crosby). Geno (Evgeni Malkin) plays with a ton of energy in practice. So do (Kris) Letang and (Marc-Andre) Fleury. They’re always the last guys off the ice. Those are good habits for an organization to have. And I could tell when I got here that this was a team that already had really good practice habits. That’s a great thing.”
It won’t be all torture, this training camp.
“We will space out the (preseason) games (there are eight of them) so it’s not too heavy of a load for anyone,” Johnston said.
But it won’t be easy. The coach knows his team a lot better than he did at this point last season, and he sees a team that needs pushed.
“There is a comfort that comes with knowing your team better,” he said. “It was a little different last year. Now we know our team, with the exception of a few new players. There is comfort.”
For the coaches, anyway.
It would appear that some temporary discomfort is on the horizon. The coach doesn’t wish to punish his players, however. Johnston just wants his enthusiasm to rub off on them.
“There’s focus, drive, excitement,” he said. “This time of year, I feel a really rush of adrenaline. When September comes, you want to ramp it up. And we will ramp it up.”
Jarry shines
Tristin Jarry came 42 seconds from producing a shutout as the Penguins’ rookies defeated the Senators’ rookie, 4-1, in London on Saturday.
Jarry didn’t look particularly sharp during rookie camp in July. He looked quite good in game action, however. He was pleased with the outing, which showcased his athleticism.
Sprong impresses again
Daniel Sprong didn’t score in this game, but he still had the puck more than anyone else. The puck follows this kid. I don’t know when he’s going to make it to the NHL, but he certainly has the talent to reach that level.
In fact, he might have the talent to be an impact player at that level.
Sprong showcased his ability to protect the puck with his large frame on a number of occasions. He’s got great hands, and strong offensive instincts.
He did get yelled at once by Penguins coaches though. In the first period, after an overextended shift, he attempted to beat a defenseman instead of getting the puck deep. He turned the puck over.
Little things like that will need improvement. But the big thing – immense physical skill – is clearly evident.
Loney looking large
Ty Loney has really been a strong performer in London. He scored on Friday and, though he was held off the scoreboard today, was a presence.
Like his dad, Loney doesn’t own blazing speed. But, like his dad, he’s a big kid and willing to go to the net. He’s got a pair of hands, as well. I believe he will project as an NHL player at some point.
“He’s been very good,” Wilkes-Barre/Scranton coach Mike Sullivan said. “Solid.”
So far, so good
The Penguins aren’t exactly known for their great pool of prospects. Publications have ranked them dead last in the NHL this summer, in fact.
But they’re 2-0 so far in London. They deserved their victory against the Canadiens on Friday. And they absolutely overwhelmed the Senators’ prospects on Saturday, even while playing without Derrick Pouliot, Oskar Sundqvist and Scott Wilson. Those three are probably the best Penguins in London. They were given the day off.
“I just wanted us to be the hardest-working team here,” Sullivan said. “And I think we’ve done a very nice job so far. We’ve competed very well.”