"I hit the ice a few weeks earlier than normal," Pietrangelo said. "I've been trying to do more game situation stuff sooner rather than later. I've tried to mix that in with some skill stuff, too. ... You try and get to the point where you've got to amp up your energy and amp up your strength a month earlier than you normally do. It's been different, but at the same time, it kind of gives you a different look on what it would be like if you played into the final for the Stanley Cup.
"It really was a quick turnaround [after the playoffs]. You try and take a couple weeks off. Everybody needs two or three weeks to kind of take a break and regroup. The funny part for me having to play this long was you don't want to take too much time off, because your summers are cut short, but at the same time, you want to make sure you have enough time off because you played so long.
"I feel good where I'm at. I feel like I took enough time off. I feel like I've been training hard enough where I'm ready to go right now. You've got to enjoy your summer, but at the same time, you've got to make sure you get the work in."
Playing in Toronto will certainly place added pressure on Team Canada to not only perform well, but win the tournament. Pietrangelo said the team is talented enough where that won't be an issue.
"You're in Toronto, you're in the Mecca of hockey, too," Pietrangelo said. "... If you can put it on your resume again to represent the country, it's a good feeling for one, to get named to the team, and hopefully to win it all.