Bruising Labrie makes name for himself at Hawks training camp
Getting old stinks.
And for pro athletes, getting old — as in 35 or 36 — really stinks.
But for the aging athlete who spends years and years chasing their pro dream in the minor leagues, getting old really, really stinks.
Such is the case for Pierre-Cedric Labrie, a 30-year-old forward who has 500-plus AHL games on his resume but just 46 in the NHL. The Quebec native has stood out from the first day of Blackhawks training camp and got the chance to play in the team's second preseason game Friday night in Pittsburgh.
“He's a really enthusiastic guy,” said assistant coach Kevin Dineen. “He's fun to be around (and) that's translating to his game on the ice.”
Labrie is a 6-foot-3, 226-pound bruiser who has never been afraid to drop the gloves. This off-season, though, he changed his routine by losing weight, working on his range of motion and improving his on-ice skills.
“I feel like if I'd come in like I did last year, in the same shape, I would probably just be tossed on the side. But I adapted my game,” said Labrie, who has spent the last two seasons playing in Rockford. “Before I was more like 50-50 training for fighting and hockey.
“Now I'm more like 100 percent hockey. Because the game changed, right?”
The Blackhawks' younger, supposedly more talented forwards haven't shown a whole lot in camp thus far, and it may just be opening the door for a player like Labrie, who hasn't played in an NHL game since Dec. 14, 2013.
“I don't see any reason he can't be a bottom-six forward,” said Rockford coach Ted Dent. “I believe in him as a player. He's great in the dressing room. … He's a team-first guy, got some personality and is a fan-favorite in Rockford.”
Labrie had a career year for the IceHogs last season, scoring 20 goals. He also only fought four times, according to hockeyfights.com, after racking up 55 bouts from 2010-14.
When Labrie celebrated his 30th birthday on June 12, it really hit him that the clock is starting to run out on his NHL dream. He decided right then and there to come in and show the Hawks a fresh, new and different player come training camp.
“I feel faster. I just feel more focused,” Labrie said. “I'm an energy guy (who will) do anything for my teammates (by) defending them or blocking a shot — anything I've got to do to help my team win. That's the kind of player I want to be.”
Said Blackhawks assistant Mike Kitchen: “Labrie's come in and he's had a strong camp, and he had a strong year last year. I don't want to take anything away from him. … Hopefully he makes the decisions tough for us.”
Final arrivals:
Mike Kitchen said World Cup participants Jonathan Toews, Corey Crawford and Marian Hossa will get about “three to four days off” before arriving at camp. That means they'd likely arrive Monday or Tuesday.
Signing:
Graham Knott signed a three-year, entry-level deal with the Hawks on Friday. Knott was the team's second-round pick in 2015.
He said it:
“I don't like watching when other teams win championships. You just get jealous.”
Niklas Hjalmarsson on if he watched Canada's World Cup victory over Europe on Thursday. Hjalmarsson played for Sweden, which lost to Europe in the semis.