Forward Adam Henrique knows as a 16-year NHL veteran with New Jersey, Anaheim and Edmonton that the excitement of a new campaign can make the preseason feel slow, but that there's plenty of value over the final few days of Training Camp for adjusting to new teammates, roles and tactics.
“You’ve got to have the mindset to get a good week of work in here still,” Henrique said after Tuesday’s skate at the Downtown Community Arena. “So there's still plenty of time to work on things and get to where you'd like to be to start the season.”
The 35-year-old said that he's always focused on making a good impression at Camp by showing up in shape and being mentally ready to accept whatever gets thrown at you.
Henrique could be relied upon by the Oilers to play a versatile role this season as a forward who can move between centre and the wing, and he mentioned it's essential to define those roles early to allow players to become accustomed to them.
"Whether you're playing top six, bottom six or PK, I think it's important to have those roles within the group established to find your way," he said. "I think we got a lot of skill, young kids that are pushing and looking good, and everybody in between, too. I think as you go, those roles get defined, and you have to have pride in those roles, especially when you're a team with the aspirations that we have. Those can be difference makers throughout a season."
