ST. PAUL -- With players on the ice, officially, for the first time on Friday, the gleam and excitement of the first day quickly turned to anxiousness and unease.
Players have known since July what Wild coach Bruce Boudreau's well-known conditioning test would entail, but that doesn't make it any easier.
Boudreau said on Thursday that he tweaked the test slightly, apparently lowering the times needed to pass the skating assessment, which tests players' conditioning as they enter camp.
Conditioning Drill Provides Players With Stiff Early Test
First-day test has been a staple of Boudreau's since his days as a minor-league coach
© Katlyn Gambill