The rope… a symbol that has haunted every Day-1 of training camp of Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella’s 23-year coaching career.
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The first day of training camp is always a date circled on many NHL players calendars. A day, in other worlds (not John Tortorella’s), that culminates the end of offseason training and the start of a new season.
But, in John Tortorella’s world, Day 1 is haunted by the infamous “rope”.
In each of his 23-years as a head coach, Tortorella starts his training camps the same way. A skating test designed to push you not just physically, but mentally.
The test, marred by Tortorella’s infamous yellow “rope”, is 3 laps – 8 times around a stretched out rope on the ice. If that wasn’t enough, that test is followed by five up & backs to finish the 45-minute test.
“It’s an effective way for me to judge where play are at,” John Tortorella said about the effects of the test.
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Whether young or old… veteran or rookie… there is no one definite way on how to approach the test. Its one of those things you just have to do and get through.
“I just go balls out on first rep and hope I finish,” Rasmus Ristolainen said on his approach.
Sean Couturier, even though mentioning doing it a couple times in the summer, said its something you can’t prepare for. Mentioning that the skate is “just so demanding physically” its hard to train for.
Jamie Drysdale, in his first skate test, said “it lived up to everything that I’ve heard about it.”
But, the silver lining to all of it? Everyone finished
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The test isn’t about who is the fastest or who does it the best. The test is designed to push you mentally to push through the end.
Some may struggle… strides will get long… legs will get tight… but the bottom line to the test is pushing through the mental block of finishing.