Don’t think for a moment the Flyers’ posse of young players hasn’t noticed the challenging workout regimen of 30-year-old defenseman Travis Sanheim.
Why do you think he’s been able to stay out on the ice for 25 minutes a night against the likes of Sidney Crosby et al?
For the first-, second- and third-year players, it’s almost like having a second fitness coach. If they see a guy who’s 10 years older working that hard, shouldn’t that inspire them to greater things?
Of course, Sanheim, being the modest sort he is, will never admit he’s trying to be a role model. But deep down he knows he’s probably setting a good example.
One guy who will acknowledge this positive situation is coach Rick Tocchet, who once trained under fitness nut Pat Croce. If you weren’t in top shape, you wouldn’t last a minute with that guy.
Tocchet appreciates what Sanheim brings to the table. Not only does he possess a high hockey IQ, he also has the wheels, the stamina and the coordination to keep up with the game’s best.
That could help explain why Sanheim was named to Canada’s Olympic team this past February.
“I think it’s important the veteran players showing the way for the young guys,” said Tocchet, who was an assistant coach on that Canada elite squad. “And ‘Sanny’ is more by action. He’s not the most vocal guy. But he’s been more vocal since the Olympics. Players know on an off-day he gets some stuff done. That goes a long way.”
In his last eight full seasons (including the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season), he has played in 629 of a possible 647 games. That’s durability.
No doubt others have been paying attention.
“It was no different when I was a young guy,” Tocchet said. “Brad McCrimmon, Mark Howe. Those guys passed the torch on the same way. Having guys like Sanny in the organization passing that down is huge.”
Sanheim looks to be doing his best not to make a deal out of the way he spends so many hours in the gym. But it is a source of great personal pride.
He said he might spend three hours on the weights and cardio machines instead of one hour like he used to do in the past. It’s just part of a commitment to keeping up his high standard of play.
“It’s obviously a bigger role for me,” he said, alluding to his post-Olympic pairing with Rasmus Ristolainen “Just trying to lead by example and do the best I can, understanding that I’ve played in the past.
“You know you try to help with the young guys but they’ve been doing such a great job. It’s nice to see. Just trying to help the best I can.”
This past year or so he’s increased his workload knowing he probably was going to get extra minutes, plus as players like to tease in the locker room, that 30-year-old mark means you’re not a kid anymore.
“Doing different things in the gym with the strength coaches,” he said. “Going over plans that maybe haven’t worked in the past. Try to find stuff that works so that you can maintain it throughout the course of the year.
“I think we’ve done a nice job of it this year. I feel great right now.”
>Fact or fiction
Just because Crosby received the first embellishment penalty of his 21-year career the other night in the first period of Game 3 doesn’t mean he hasn’t taken a dive or three over his illustrious stay in the NHL.
Stat people were quick to point out Crosby has played 1,420 regular-season games and 183 more in the playoffs and this was his first “flop infraction.”
On the play mentioned, Garnet Hathaway’s stick appeared to go past Crosby’s face but miss. The Penguins star threw his head back and fell to the ice in dramatic fashion.
After the game, coach Dan Muse made it a point to say Pittsburgh was not guilty of one embellishment penalty all season and that Crosby had never had one in his entire career.
“We didn’t come into this series to start now,” Muse said at Xfinity Mobile Arena. “We did a good job and Sid doesn’t embellish.”
What?
Can’t disagree more. Give Crosby credit for trying to do anything he can to win but let’s not say he’s an innocent competitor.
Muse also couldn’t figure out why the Penguins got the extra penalty during the multi-player scrum at 4:33 of the second period which led to full-house penalty boxes on both sides. The Flyers scored with the man advantage and that appeared to turn the momentum in their favor.
“That changed everything,” Muse said. “It took a long time to sort it out. Lost the momentum. Listen I’m not going to make excuses. There are things we can do better. But that definitely factored into the game.”
This kind of whining has been going on since the days of the Broad Street Bullies and it’s probably never going to change.
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