manny
01-17-2006, 08:20 AM
Naptime's a hockey tradition
Thrashers take game-day siesta at hotel near Philips Arena
By GUY CURTRIGHT (gcurtright@<hidden>)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 01/14/06 It's always been a part of the NHL.
Yes, these rough and tough hockey players need their nap time.
http://www.ajc.com/shared-local/images/1pix_trans.gif"It's almost like with a baby," Thrashers center Marc Savard said. "You can't make it through without a couple of hours sleep in the afternoon. Then you wake up ready to go."
That's the game-day routine in the NHL. A late morning skate, followed by a substantial lunch, then at least two hours of rest before heading back to the arena for that night's game.
"A lot of things may change in the NHL, but I don't think naps are going away," 39-year-old captain Scott Mellanby said. "It's just a part of being a hockey player."
"It's the best part of my day," said rookie goalie Michael Garnett, who was with the team for much of the year. "What a life. You don't even have to worry about staying up a little late the night before a game, because you know that you're going to get a nap."
There are no bed checks, but few buck the nap tradition. To aid players, the Thrashers have rooms at a hotel near Philips Arena on weekdays so players don't have to drive back home to nap, then fight traffic coming back to the arena.
"Of our 24 guys, it's probably 21 who take a real nap," Savard said.
Greg de Vries is known as the Thrashers' champion sleeper.
"I enjoy my sleep," the defenseman admits. "Before home games, I usually get three hours, maybe four.
"There's nothing better than reading a book and falling asleep. I don't have any trouble sleeping. When I wake up, my roommate is usually gone."
De Vries always stays at the hotel, with good reason. At home, he has children ages 5, 2 and 1.
"Having three young kids, I let my wife sleep the night before a game and I take them," de Vries said. "I know that the next afternoon I'm going to get my rest. A nap is nonexistent at home."
Serge Aubin said he tried one season to buck the tradition and pass on nap time.
"It worked OK," he said. "But now, with all the travel being so demanding, I think you really need it. You can go for a little while without taking a nap, but not when the schedule gets really heavy. It keeps you fresh."
"I can fall asleep in about five minutes," V.P. Vigier said.
"Come on, it's no problem getting to sleep," Garnett said. "Go get a big meal. Come back. Lay down. You fall right asleep."
"It's a mandatory thing for me," Savard said. "I always get a good two hours. I don't know if it makes sense or not [to nap right after a big meal], but it sure works for me."
Ilya Kovalchuk's home is in Buckhead, so he never stays downtown. "I just live 10 or 15 minutes away, so it is no problem," he said. "I always take a nap. I fall asleep quick. I get two hours sleep."
Garnet Exelby returns home, even though it means a commute back to Gwinnett County.
"If feels like every game is a road game if I stay downtown at the hotel," the defenseman said. "I like to go home and make my own food and sleep in my own bed. Some games you might be a little bit more jacked up for, and it's harder to get to sleep. But for the most part, I sleep pretty good."
"I try to sleep for at least 45 minutes," Andy Sutton said. "You just read your body. If you're tired, you sleep. If not, you just rest for a couple of hours. I don't think whether you get a good nap or not determines whether you have a good game or don't."
But preparation and routine is a big part of a hockey player's life.
"Even with naps, we are still sleep deprived," Mellanby said. "We do everything wrong for good sleep patterns. I'm older, and I don't sleep [during a nap] as much as I used to. But I'll still get a good hour in. I think you need it.
"I stay downtown. My kids are in school, but this way my mind can get away from stuff a home and get ready for the game. Resting and getting ready mentally is as important as anything I do."
Thrashers take game-day siesta at hotel near Philips Arena
By GUY CURTRIGHT (gcurtright@<hidden>)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 01/14/06 It's always been a part of the NHL.
Yes, these rough and tough hockey players need their nap time.
http://www.ajc.com/shared-local/images/1pix_trans.gif"It's almost like with a baby," Thrashers center Marc Savard said. "You can't make it through without a couple of hours sleep in the afternoon. Then you wake up ready to go."
That's the game-day routine in the NHL. A late morning skate, followed by a substantial lunch, then at least two hours of rest before heading back to the arena for that night's game.
"A lot of things may change in the NHL, but I don't think naps are going away," 39-year-old captain Scott Mellanby said. "It's just a part of being a hockey player."
"It's the best part of my day," said rookie goalie Michael Garnett, who was with the team for much of the year. "What a life. You don't even have to worry about staying up a little late the night before a game, because you know that you're going to get a nap."
There are no bed checks, but few buck the nap tradition. To aid players, the Thrashers have rooms at a hotel near Philips Arena on weekdays so players don't have to drive back home to nap, then fight traffic coming back to the arena.
"Of our 24 guys, it's probably 21 who take a real nap," Savard said.
Greg de Vries is known as the Thrashers' champion sleeper.
"I enjoy my sleep," the defenseman admits. "Before home games, I usually get three hours, maybe four.
"There's nothing better than reading a book and falling asleep. I don't have any trouble sleeping. When I wake up, my roommate is usually gone."
De Vries always stays at the hotel, with good reason. At home, he has children ages 5, 2 and 1.
"Having three young kids, I let my wife sleep the night before a game and I take them," de Vries said. "I know that the next afternoon I'm going to get my rest. A nap is nonexistent at home."
Serge Aubin said he tried one season to buck the tradition and pass on nap time.
"It worked OK," he said. "But now, with all the travel being so demanding, I think you really need it. You can go for a little while without taking a nap, but not when the schedule gets really heavy. It keeps you fresh."
"I can fall asleep in about five minutes," V.P. Vigier said.
"Come on, it's no problem getting to sleep," Garnett said. "Go get a big meal. Come back. Lay down. You fall right asleep."
"It's a mandatory thing for me," Savard said. "I always get a good two hours. I don't know if it makes sense or not [to nap right after a big meal], but it sure works for me."
Ilya Kovalchuk's home is in Buckhead, so he never stays downtown. "I just live 10 or 15 minutes away, so it is no problem," he said. "I always take a nap. I fall asleep quick. I get two hours sleep."
Garnet Exelby returns home, even though it means a commute back to Gwinnett County.
"If feels like every game is a road game if I stay downtown at the hotel," the defenseman said. "I like to go home and make my own food and sleep in my own bed. Some games you might be a little bit more jacked up for, and it's harder to get to sleep. But for the most part, I sleep pretty good."
"I try to sleep for at least 45 minutes," Andy Sutton said. "You just read your body. If you're tired, you sleep. If not, you just rest for a couple of hours. I don't think whether you get a good nap or not determines whether you have a good game or don't."
But preparation and routine is a big part of a hockey player's life.
"Even with naps, we are still sleep deprived," Mellanby said. "We do everything wrong for good sleep patterns. I'm older, and I don't sleep [during a nap] as much as I used to. But I'll still get a good hour in. I think you need it.
"I stay downtown. My kids are in school, but this way my mind can get away from stuff a home and get ready for the game. Resting and getting ready mentally is as important as anything I do."