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R & R part of Lightning game plan

Coaches try to balance time off for players' physical and mental replenishment with practice time to keep them sharp.

OTTAWA - Jassen Cullimore's eyes narrowed and his voice took a conspiratorial tone. The Lightning defenseman had a secret and he wanted it kept on the down low.

You know all those days off coach John Tortorella gives the team (at least one a week and sometimes two)? It's really so the coaching staff can take it easy.

"I think they're really being selfish about it because they want the time off," Cullimore said.

"No, no," Tortorella said. "There is no time off for the coaching staff."

Of course, Cullimore was kidding.

"He'd better be," Tortorella said, laughing.

Seriously, though, finding time during the season when players can rest is no joke to Tampa Bay's coaches.

Beginning with tonight's game against the Senators at the Corel Centre, Tampa Bay plays 17 games in 31 days leading to the All-Star break. That includes 13 road games, 15 days traveling by plane or bus and only one stretch of consecutive days off.

It is enough to wear down even the most well-conditioned athlete.

That is why Tortorella scans the schedule during the summer and calculates how to balance the time off necessary for physical and mental replenishment with the practice time needed to keep players sharp.

It is why he sometimes substitutes video sessions for practices, and why he will, at times, go with his gut and give the team an unscheduled day off.

"I bet we're one of the top teams as far as days off," Tortorella said. "We go hard when we go, but we try to give them time off as best we can. Not for the physical aspect but for the mental aspect.

"The everyday grind of going into that locker room, putting the uniform on and going through practice, it's a tough situation. And it's overrated, especially this time of the year."

Not during training camp.

Tortorella pushes hard in preseason. Players acquired from other organizations call Tampa Bay's camp the toughest they have experienced. And it gets them in shape.

More conditioning time was available in October as the Lightning played just seven games and had stretches of four and five days off.

"At that point we felt we could condition them even more because we thought it could carry them further into the season," Tortorella said.

The key is maintaining. Players, generally, do not improve conditioning during a season. In fact, the physical and mental demands work to grind it down.

When Tortorella sees that happening, he gives a day off. If there are aspects of Tampa Bay's game that need honing, a video session might be held instead.

"There are certain times of our schedule, this month being one, you can't get on the ice as much, so you end up doing it cerebrally and try to keep them mentally conditioned that way," Tortorella said. "Sometimes less is best."

Eric Lawson, the Lightning's strength and conditioning coach, agreed, and said the players' overall strength and power measurements are probably less than at season's start.

"What you hope is that they don't lose game speed and game strength," Lawson said. "At this point rest and recovery is more important than piling on additional work. If you don't allow for rest, what can happen is you can get into an overtraining state."

And that, Lawson said, can lead to burnout.

Cullimore keeps his own schedule, which balances rest with on- and off-ice workouts.

"You have to look ahead and say, "There are two days between games. I'll do some extra stuff there,' " the defenseman said. "You have to pick your spots and manage your schedule to get time to physically recharge."

"But you can't get locked in because the schedule permits you to work that day," Tortorella said. "It may not be good to work them that day. It might be better to get them away from the rink because of what's happening with your club. It's all a day-to-day situation in understanding and feeling your team."

All kidding aside.