"It's never easy trying to learn something new," forward Micheal Haley said. "Especially in the game of hockey, you do things so much where it becomes repetition, and you're trying not to think about it. That's the goal, to know the system to the point where you're not stopping and taking time to think about it… Obviously, this year it's a lot better. It's already ingrained in us."
Entering their second season under head coach Bob Boughner, Panthers players arrived at this year's camp looking to build upon last season's success rather than reinventing themselves yet again. After riding a 25-8-2 finish to within one point of the playoffs, the majority of last season's team has returned, with these players hoping they'll be able to pick up right where they left off.
"It makes a big difference," defenseman Keith Yandle said. "I think you can tell by the way the first two practices went. There's a good flow to it. No one really stops to figure stuff out. We're all on the same page. I think last year when we were all trying to figure it out all out with a new system, it was probably a little different than this year. This year we hit the ice running."
In the early stages of camp, Yandle's assessment has certainly held true. The team has come out firing in practices and it seems everyone is already dialed in. With a singular focus shared among the group, the intensity shown by both rookies and veterans in drills has been evident.
"I think that's what happens when you have a long summer," Yandle said. "You're itching to get back. I think the first few days have gone really well, too. The excitement in our room and with everyone here, it's a lot of fun to be a part of."
In addition to familiarity, another big reason the Panthers have been able to come out flying at camp is because of the added work they put in over the summer. With informal skates starting almost a month before any official on-ice work, players made a concerted effort to shake off the rust long before getting back to business, putting an emphasis on starting the season in shape.
"You can tell that everyone worked really hard over the offseason," defenseman Mike Matheson said. "In all our [fitness] testing results, I think everybody did really, really well. That's just a testament to how excited guys are to have a good season and how committed they are to getting to the playoffs and going long in the playoffs."
While the road to the playoffs won't begin until Opening Night on Oct. 6 in Tampa, the Panthers will get their first taste of competitive action on Monday, when Nashville visits BB&T Center for a doubleheader that will kick off Florida's seven-game preseason.
"We are just ready to play hockey," center Vincent Trocheck said. "Let's get September over with and get into October. We want to figure everything out right now. We want our system to be in place. We want everyone to have it locked in, and then we're ready to go."
