Colorado's players went through the second of two skating tests at the end of Sunday morning's training camp session at Family Sports Center. After going through a 45-minute practice, the players skated around both goal nets three times under a certain time frame. They did three sets of three clockwise laps with a minute to two-minute break before doing the same process counterclockwise.
This test came two days after the Avs' first skating evaluation, a goal line to goal line and back sprint.
The on ice and off ice tests are all meant to highlight the players' offseason training and get them ready for the grind of an 82-game season.
"It's great to do the little stuff on the ice right now before the season and before the exhibition games," said Samuel Girard. "Especially when we play here in Colorado with the altitude and everything. I think those tests will help us in the season to be more in shape and make sure we're ready for the beginning of the season."
The two skating tests are the same ones the team instituted in head coach Jared Bednar's second training camp in 2017, the first camp for several of the Avalanche's 11 rookies that skated in a contest in last year.
Alex Kerfoot was one of those NHL freshmen in 2017-18 and went on to record 43 points, which ranked ninth among league rookies. While he had a better idea of what to expect at this year's camp after playing in 79 of 82 games last season, it hasn't made the recent practices any easier.
"I feel a little more comfortable, but it is still a pretty grueling camp," Kerfoot said. "I came in last year, and it was a little unexpected of how hard it would be and I was a little bit more prepared for it this year. I feel pretty good on the ice."
Sunday was the third of four straight practice days that the Avalanche will have before the club begins the preseason on Tuesday at home versus the Vegas Golden Knights, and some of the Avs are beginning to get a bit antsy to start competing against other players.
"You do need to go through those parts of training camp and go through the systems and get with the groups of guys, but I'm ready to play some games, that's for sure," said Kerfoot.
