Phoenix: Game Shape

"If you stay ready, you ain't got to get ready."
- Suga Free: "If U Stay Ready"

Nothing like taking it back to 1997 with some West Coast hip hop on a freezing January night, but Suga Free's lyrics sum up the ideal Elite League mentality after the Christmas break.

For sure, most teams have stayed active throughout the last week, but coaches often take it easier as players enjoy a relaxed training schedule and more family time.

Steelers boss Dave Matsos made an exception, promising that his players would be either back on the bike or the ice the day after they scraped a 3-2 win against the Giants.

However, the Phoenix enjoyed a lighter schedule with no formal training, but defenceman Carl Graham made sure that he stayed busy. Coming back in game shape after Christmas is a big priority and Graham got a few workouts in to stay ready.

“You could take about six days off and I’m sure that throughout the league there are guys who will do that,” Graham told the Phoenix game programme.

"You need to hit the gym and ride the bike otherwise coming back and trying to play is hard."

And the British D-man has an additional incentive to be ready to go. Following the departure of Dwight Parrish on Boxing Day, there's more work available on the Manchester blueline. Somebody will have to eat Parrish's minutes, meaning that Graham could get some extra ice time.

“I’m hoping so,” Graham added.

“It’s hard to go from playing only a few minutes per game to play between 15 and 25 minutes but I’ve got to comeback from Christmas with the mindset that I’m going to be playing."