Development Camp Day 6 Recap

On the final day of development camp, the group loaded onto the bus one last time and went up to Grouse Mountain to conquer The Grind. The players enjoyed the scenery as the bus travelled from Vancouver over the Lions Gate Bridge to the North Shore, but most didn't know the behemoth waiting for them.

The trail is 2.5-kilometres and 2,830 vertical steps through the trees, with no plateaus to let those quad and calf muscles rest. Dubbed "Mother Nature's Stairmaster", it's one of the toughest workouts Vancouver has to offer.

The group was split into teams of four players each, and the last man up was their finishing time. Aiden Celebrini, who's done The Grind countless times, gave his group sage advice to not sprint at the beginning of the trail.

"It's almost faster to find a pace and stick to it all the way through than try to go all out and keep that pace, because you can't do it," Celebrini said.

Despite the grueling terrain, he's got good memories of it.

"This hike holds a special place in my heart, just part of my training since I remember growing up. My dad would always have us do the Grouse Grind and an Ambleside [Park] workout on a daily basis so it's all I knew growing up," he said.

Celebrini knows the trail like the back of his hand, but Hunter Brzustewicz and Tom Willander thought the hike was harder than they initially anticipated once they reached the top, while Matthew Perkins felt it was easier than he thought it would be.

Assistant Director of Player Development, Chris Higgins, came up the grind with his daughter Bowen, and wrapped up the hike with a speech thanking the players for their dedication at camp.

"The Grind reveals a mircocosm of camp, the perseverance and resiliency you showed today you showed all through camp," Higgins said.

He encouraged them to set the bar for attention to detail, accountability, and leadership on their respective teams.

"We want 20 leaders on the ice every night, and that's what we're going to expect of you guys," he said.

The players head home today, some will be back with the Canucks for the 2023 Penticton Young Stars Classic from September 15-18.