Not long after his rookie season with the Washington Capitals ended, an email pinged into the inbox of Andre Burakovsky, prescribing goals for the summer ahead. The message was a joint effort from Coach Barry Trotz and strength coach Mark Nemish, by no means singular to the 20-year-old forward; every player received some form of offseason training roadmap, but Burakovsky’s bullet points ran longer than most.
“Get a little bit heavier, stronger in the legs, first couple steps to be quicker, taking a hit better, balance through the core,” he said Tuesday. “It’s been a lot, but it’s been really good too.