The Game Day Routine Of An NHL Star

Getting ready to play NHL games is not something that NHL players take lightly, and most like to stick to a specific routine. Every player is going to do things a bit differently on game days, but the basic schedule is going to be the same. 

Patrick Kane is arguably the best American-born NHL player of all-time, and he is going straight to the Hall of Fame when his career is over. Kane was traded to the New York Rangers during the 2022-23 season, but he spent his entire career with the Blackhawks before that. 

The Chicago Blackhawks were a dynasty during Kane’s prime, and he always had the same basic game-day routine, especially when the Hawks were playing at the United Center. 

Getting the Day Started

The wake-up call comes at different times for NHL players, but Patrick Kane always likes to wake up at 8:30 am. For players with kids, the wake-up call is going to come much earlier than it does for those players that are single and living alone. 

Kane is a player that likes to take a shower as soon as he wakes up to get the day started, but it’s not the same for everyone. The Chicago Blackhawks allow each player to order breakfast, and Kane was one that always preferred to eat at the rink. Other players eat breakfast at home with families before heading to the morning skate.

On a typical game day in Chicago, the Blackhawks would host a team meeting at 9:30 am before having a morning skate shortly after. Every NHL team does things differently, but getting together in the morning of a game is going to be important. 

The Chicago Blackhawks were a very tight team, and Kane used to spend time with his teammates after the morning skate. Not too long, though, as Kane would always head home for a pregame nap on the day of a game. 

You will find that most NHL players are going to try and get a pregame nap in at some point so that they are fresh and ready to go when the puck is dropped. 

Stadium Arrival

The average fan might find it interesting that most NHL players are going to get to the arena close to three hours before the game begins. This makes for a long night at the arena, but there is a ton that goes on before the game actually starts. 

Patrick Kane used to arrive at the United Center at 5:15 on the nights where there was a 7:40 PM puck drop. Most teams, Blackhawks included, have another pregame meeting at night, and it’s just one final chance to go over the game plan. 

Kane, and most other NHL players, do a workout off of the ice before joining their teammates on the ice. The Chicago Blackhawks have a very strict pregame plan, and it’s one where all of the players got plenty of work in.

Kane was always the last player to leave the ice pregame when he was a member of the Blackhawks, but every player has specific things that they do to make sure they are ready to go. After the pregame warmups are over, it’s time for the final preparations before the lineups and the national anthem. 

A Plan After the Game

The actual game is going to be taxing for any NHL player, especially for someone like Patrick Kane. Getting back to the locker room after the game is a chance for Kane and other players to take a quick break before getting on with the rest of the night. 

From there, it is time to hit the showers before heading to do interviews with the media. Some teams have a media room where all of the interviews are done, while other teams allow those media members to come into the room. 

It’s finally time to head home or to the hotel to get a final post-game meal before bed. There are no days off during the regular season, and it’s important for Kane and the other players to get enough rest to be ready to go the next day.