The 2016 World Cup of Hockey doesn’t just challenge NHL teams in putting players at risk for injuries.
The Canadian Press points out an interesting consideration: 14 head coaches will be involved in guiding the different teams, prompting assistant coaches to assume more of the burden of running training camps.
Granted, Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper does note that the situation prompted him to plan out more of training camp than ever.
“If you’re going to go on vacation you plan for somebody to watch your house, sit your dog, all those type of things, so this is no different,” Cooper told the Canadian Press. “You’re planning exactly what’s going to go on every single day, you’re just not out there blowing the whistle. But everything is set right down to the minute on how things are going to go.”
The way Cooper describes this, you almost expect him to send an assistant coach a text to make sure that he didn’t leave the oven on.
It could be interesting to keep an eye out for reports or murmurs about disruptions during training camp. Will some teams enjoy advantages that others don’t? Will certain decisions about burning entry-level contract years or retaining PTOs go a little differently?
We’re already seeing teams like the Lightning and Washington Capitals plan ahead, so maybe it’s not a big factor. Then again, in an age of parity, you never know where that next little edge might come from.
