Sidney Crosby navigated the gruelling physical tests many times. The strength challenges. The long, lung-busting skates. The stationary bike rides where players pushed to the limit. Set to enter his 22nd NHL season, however, the Pittsburgh Penguins captain will have a decidedly different experience when his team assembles for training camp this week. The league has done away with mandatory fitness testing ahead of the 2026-27 schedule, while the exhibition calendar includes just four games per club as part of a series of changes included in the new collective bargaining agreement. Crosby, 39, said players come to camp in much better shape compared to past generations. “It’s tough timing after doing it for 21 years,” he said with a laugh at the recent NHL/NHLPA player media tour in Las Vegas. “It’s nicer for the guys coming in … whether you played two years or 15, there was always that little bit of like nervousness. I don’t think that’s a terrible thing. “But I can see why it’s something that they wanted to look at.” Testing varied team-to-team, but demanding cardio sessions on that infamous bike were among the exercises many especially loathed. “There’s some positives to the testing to see where you were last year and with injury prevention,” Ottawa Senators defenceman Jake Sanderson said. “At the same time, I don’t want to be practising for a bike test all summer. That’s not gonna help win games or score goals.” NHL Players’ Association assistant executive director Ron Hainsey, who suited up for more than 1,100 games as a hard-nosed blueliner, said camps lasting two or three weeks are no longer necessary from a conditioning standpoint. “Our players are on the ice almost 12 months a year now, which is totally foreign to me,” he said. “I can’t wrap my head around it. Whenever I got done (with a season), the stuff went away: ‘I’ll talk to you in August and get myself ready.’ “That is just not their process anymore.” New Jersey Devils centre Jack Hughes said coaches will still find ways to gauge players’ conditioning once they get on the ice. “The ‘skate drill’ instead of the ‘skate test,’” he said. “It’ll be very similar.” The NHL and NHLPA also shortened the pre-season to pave the way for a jump from an 82- to 84-game schedule. That means coaches and players will have much less runway before the real action gets going Sept. 29. Toronto Maple Leafs centre John Tavares, whose club is one of four with a new bench boss to start 2026-27, said everyone will have to be especially dialled in early. “You’re trying to get things off and running as quickly as you can,” he said. “Every team is in a different situation, different scenario, but it’s shorter for everyone. It’ll be interesting just to see how everyone adapts.” Vegas Golden Knights centre Jack Eichel is of two minds after his group, which also has a new bench boss, made a long run to the Stanley Cup final. “Shorter off-season, so it might not be a bad thing,” he said of the truncated camp. “At the same time, we have a veteran team, and sometimes you utilize training camp as a few extra weeks to prepare.” “It’s going to be different,” San Jose Sharks centre Macklin Celebrini added. “Just not a lot of time.” Anaheim Ducks counterpart Leo Carlsson said another downside is younger players getting less of an opportunity to impress. “If I was my rookie year, I would probably want to have a longer (camp) to prove myself,” he said. “But the quicker we can get to the real thing … that’s what I’m playing for.” The two extra regular-season games, meanwhile, could be crucial for both making the playoffs and seedings in a league where a couple of points are often the difference. “A team that gets up to speed and has confidence early will just have a better season,” Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson said. “The pre-season will be short, but it’ll be important.” Hainsey said the league has gone with quick camps minus exhibition games in the past — following the 2012-13 lockout and ahead of the 2020-21 campaign impacted by COVID-19. “No one’s been worse for wear,” he said. “There’s a lot to back us up going in this direction. More regular season games, I think everybody likes that. Fewer pre-season games; it seems everybody likes that. “It’s been a well-thought-out, yearlong process.” And despite the lack of physical testing, any player cutting summer corners will be outed in short order. “You can get all the numbers you want in fitness testing,” Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser said. “But (if) you step on the ice, the coaches are gonna know if you’re in shape or you’re out of shape. There’s some competition that we won’t have, but there’s still the competition on the ice — where it belongs. “If you’re not in shape, you’re gonna stick out like a sore thumb.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 15, 2026. Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
