Photo: Bildbyrån
Long rest instead of hard training sessions.
The national team breaks look different for the Timrå players – and the other teams watch and envy them.
– In a way, absolutely. The season is so long and you work so hard, so having a few extra days off would have been nice, says Jérémy Groleau to VF.
Timrå’s coach Olli Jokinen46, has been a pro in the NHL for many years. It certainly seems like he’s adopted a more North American style when it comes to national team breaks and longer layoffs. His group of players in Timrå, for example, had to enjoy a full eight-day break during the last break.
Olli Jokinen’s new strategy for Timrå
The Finn himself has spoken to Sundsvalls Tidning about his idea that the players need to relax mentally in order to last a whole season. While the other teams used the national team break to train hard, the Norlanders got a full eight days of “freedom”.
– The players feel tired and worn out and that is completely normal. Mentally, it’s tough, they have to be there every day and we make high demands on them. Their heads need breaks, they need to be energized. The other teams probably do it in other ways, but they don’t know how we work. Others may think that it is “weird” or “crazy” that we do this, but hopefully we can create a new trend in Sweden, Jokinen has said.
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Now other teams’ players and coaches have noticed how Timrå is doing and everyone has their own opinion about what is actually the smartest and best. It is clear in any case that the opponents are talking about Timrå.
– It’s a bit revolutionary – of course people talk about it. And you’re excited to see how they do after the breaks when they basically did nothing during them. Timrå was off Sunday-Sunday last break, then they still had Monday-Wednesday because they didn’t play in the SHL until Thursday. We who play in the CHL started two days earlier, says Färjestad’s veteran Magnus Nygrenwho has been an elite player for 17 years and has never experienced anything like this, to VF.
The Färjestad players like Timrå’s new setup
Nygren’s colleague in Färjestad, Jeremy Groleauis from Canada and he is more used to having time off during breaks and holidays. The SHL’s players’ union has approved four mandatory days off at Christmas and that all players will be allowed all of July off. But Groleau would have liked to be free even more. He says that everyone in North America takes the opportunity to go away to the sun and warmth when the opportunity exists.
– Everyone flies away. So Timrå definitely uses a more North American style. At the same time, the season is so much longer there. But I’m sure the Timrå players like that arrangement! But eight days… Sure, mentally I would have liked it, but it feels like a lot. But an interesting solution, he tells the local newspaper.
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Jérémy Groleau finally admits that he gets a little jealous of Timrå’s new set-up.
– In a way, absolutely. The season is so long and you work so hard so having a few extra days off would have been nice. But the reality is that this is also our job – and we always have things we need to work on. When you evaluate, after the season, I hope we went further than they did. What happens there is what it’s all about, he says.
What do you say about Timrås and Olli Jokinen’s new strategy to get the players to last the whole season? A new tactic that could prove decisive. Comment what you think!
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