LAS VEGAS — What do a bunch of guys who make their living on a sheet of ice do when they get eight days away from hockey in the middle of January?
They go somewhere, anywhere warm, of course.
With the Penguins off until Jan. 28 following their bye week and the All-Star break, many of the players went their separate ways to spend time with family and friends following Saturday night’s game. But mostly to get away from the game for a while.
Here’s excerpts from a few players and what they plan to do.
JAMIE OLEKSIAK
Any plans for the break?
"Going somewhere warm. Not entirely sure where, it’s pretty nice here (in Arizona). Just somewhere to get away from it, take your mind off it for a bit and hopefully get a tan.”
How do you train when you’re somewhere warm?
“They usually have a decent gym around. Either that or you’re playing beach volleyball or keeping active. Playing some spikeball, playing whatever — tennis, golf. Guys do a pretty good job making sure they’re keeping active and staying out of trouble.”
You golf?
“Oh, yeah. Maybe not during during this break because I didn’t bring my clubs with me, but if there’s a Top Golf, that’s a pretty cool place to hang out, or even a driving range or maybe rent some. Just do some different things to keep you occupied.”
Imagine you have to get special, custom made clubs, right?
“Yeah, you have to get them extended and the flexes altered and the lie, it’s a real pain in the (rear).”
Yeah, I’ve got the same problem, just the other way around.
“(Laughs) I hear ya. Nah, I’ve got a deal with CCM and they work with Taylor-Made, so they’ll help you out with clubs and stuff like that, which is kind of nice.”
Wow, that’s really nice. How long are you off the tee, like, 300 yards?
“I don’t know, to be honest with you. I don’t really pound it because when I pound it, it doesn’t usually go where I want it to go. I play conservatively.”
MATT CULLEN
What’s your plan during the break?
“We’re going to take the kids down to the Bahamas. The kids and my wife, especially, have been in a lot of cold rinks this winter, so we’ll go somewhere warm and kind of refresh, recharge.”
As a dad of three on vacation, how do you make time for training?
“Like my wife, we all eat pretty healthy, so we watch pretty closely what we eat. You relax a little bit on vacation. But especially the last half, you get back to it. You’ve just got to workout. Just got to make some time every morning to get something done so you’re not too far away from where you want to be.”
DOMINIK SIMON
Going back to Czech Republic over the break?
“No, no. Too far. Too much travel. Too big of a time change. We travel in the season a lot already, so when I have a chance to rest, I don’t want to be traveling again. I’ve got to be smart. So I’m going to stay in the U.S.”
Somewhere warm in the U.S., I hope.
"Still deciding where, but somewhere warm.”
What’s more important for you: The physical break or the mental break?
“You just want to stay in shape. You take some days off to relax and get away from hockey and then you just try to stay away from hockey in my head, and keep my body in some normal condition so when the break is over you can come back and be ready to go again.”
BRYAN RUST
Any plans?
“A few of us guys are going to Napa. Never been there before, so excited to go there.”
How do you train when you’re away from Cranberry or the arena?
“Usually when you’re not playing, you find a place that has a decent gym and take an hour or whatever a day and either get on the bike or do some things outside and stuff like that. I don’t think it’s too hard.”
But the stuff you guys do, it’s probably not like going to an LA Fitness or something like that, right?
“No, the strength guys here, they do a really good job of taking what we’ve got and modifying it and making it so we can do the things we need to do.”
JACK JOHNSON
Any plans over the break?
“Yeah, going down to Fort Lauderdale, spending some time with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law and my family.”
Working out down there?
“My brother-in-law (former NFL QB Brady Quinn) has a full gym in his garage. Probably be working out with him trying to keep up with him.”
You’ve always been kind of a conditioning guy, even before you were drafted (in 2005). How did that start?
“Being in a gym has kind of been a lifestyle of mine. I think it started back with the U.S. Development Program. Trying to establish good habits. Those are the kinds of things you can control. I think that’s your responsibility as a professional, it’s to control the things that you can control. And that’s a simple thing you can control.”
Is there more of a focus now on conditioning and diet than when you started?
“I think there’s just more knowledge about it. Guys coming into the league, that’s been more of a point of emphasis. Guys that played college hockey, we were in the gym all the time. We’ve got guys in here who came from the U.S. Development Program, we were in the gym every day for two years. It’s become more of a lifestyle and when you get to the NHL now, there’s more of an emphasis on training and taking care of your body.”
MARCUS PETTERSSON
Going back home during the break?
“No, just hanging out here.”
Back in Pittsburgh?
“Yeah, my girlfriend, her sister’s family is coming into town. Maybe go to New York for a couple days, but mainly hanging out with them and their kids.”
Have you gotten used to Pittsburgh yet?
“I think I’ve gotten used to it a little bit. I think it’s a wonderful city. And wonderful fans. All the sports teams. We’re the only ones playing now, so they’re rallying around us and it’s a great city.”
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