Rigorous Recchi regimen readies him for another NHL season

Even a future Hall-of-Famer like Recchi needs a little extra something to push him once the dog days of August arrive. That’s where Caufield comes in. Ever since his playing days ended, Caufield has found time in the midst of his schedule of doing the Penguins’ postgame show on Fox and running his credit card company to skate and train some of the biggest stars in the NHL, including many of the Penguins players (Sidney Crosby included). When Recchi gets out on the ice to take his next step toward his 22nd NHL season, it gives his former teammate another chance to marvel at the effort that’s created a rare player that can combine longevity and effectiveness into one package with a No. 28 on his back.

“I don’t know if anybody thought they’d still be playing at these age levels, but he certainly was a guy that you knew he had the heart, the desire, the tenacity. And then he’s so smart,” Caufield explained. “I think if you look at every shift he plays, something’s happening and he makes it always for the good. I don’t that you could’ve said he’d be playing at this age, but you knew he’d have a long career.”

For 81 games plus playoffs last season, Recchi was definitely one of Boston’s top three or four forwards in all three zones. When he’s again wreaking havoc on the forecheck and in front of the opposition’s net this season, know that nothing comes easy for him and that what he accomplishes during the winter directly ties into all the energy he expended in the summer with just one thought on his mind: a little offseason individual pain will lead to in-season team glory.

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