Maple Outlines Offseason Schedule

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Maple starts his day waking up early and grabbing his customary cup of coffee.  He then opens up the back patio door to let his rescue dog, Ace, out in the yard while Maple sips his coffee on the couch outside.  

 

"That's an incredible time for me.  Probably my favorite all day, if I'm being honest.  There's so much going on with hockey, endorsement stuff, and just everything else that I rarely get some true peace and quiet for myself.  So having my morning coffee on the back porch is a great time to recharge, get my mind right, and have some quiet alone time," Maple said.

 

This morning routine is usually interrupted by a phone call, text, or some other obligation, but he understands his responsibilities.  On a normal offseason day, Maple will head straight to the training facility and workout.  He has a strict offseason schedule in the gym, something that he says helps him maintain focus through the long offseason.

 

"My rookie year, I didn't really have a routine and I really struggled during the offseason. I got lazy, wasn't engaged with the team, and I really didn't like it.  But once I found the motivation to make this a habit, everything changed.  It helps me feel productive and of course it also makes sure I stay in game shape.  It's all about keeping that schedule and unless I'm on vacation, I stick to it really tightly," he explained.

 

After leaving the gym, it's back home for lunch and then usually he takes the afternoon to take Ace on a long walk and help get his energy out.  It's often the park or just around the neighborhood, but regardless it's something that Maple takes very seriously.

 

"Ace is a great dog and I really love taking him on walks.  He has a lot of energy, so it's good for both of us to get those long daily walks in."

 

Depending on what day of the week, Maple will then spend the late afternoon either back at the training center working on stick skills, watching film, or just hanging out with teammates, but sometimes Dogwood takes the entire night off for some much needed rest and relaxation.

 

"Whether it's one of the days where we all meet up at the training center and work on skills or just a night out with friends, I truly enjoy it.  I'm so fortunate to be able to play hockey for a living that it really gives me joy to spend time with my teammates, whatever the setting is," Maple said.

 

One thing that Maple made clear is that he's gotta get his sleep.  He usually gets home relatively early and makes it a point to get plenty of sleep night in and night out.  

 

"Some players can run on just a few hours of sleep, but that's not me.  I have to have probably more sleep than usual, but it helps me wake up refreshed.  I have so many things that I have to do on a daily basis that if I don't start off with a good night's rest, there's no way I'll be effective at what I've gotta get done.  But as much as I love the offseason, it's all about the season for me.  Let's go Wolves!"

 

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