'It's Very Personal': Troy Stecher Lays Out What Makes His Game Day Routine Different From Most Players

Caleb Kerney

Mar 19, 2024, 17:26

Caleb Kerney

Mar 19, 2024, 17:26

In an exclusive with The Hockey News, new Edmonton Oilers defenseman Troy Stecher talks about what his game day routine looks like.

EDMONTON -- Troy Stecher was one of three pieces acquired by the Edmonton Oilers before the trade deadline.

While he doesn't have the pinache of Evan Bouchard or Darnell Nurse - he isn't any less important to the team. Tonight he'll get to play in his second game with the team - on a pairing with the aforementioned Nurse.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z88T9wyWRRc[/embed]

The first game in an Oilers uniform wasn't the greatest for Stecher. In 13:33 he had two penalties - but managed to get one shot on goal and throw five hits. Granted, he spent the entire game playing on the left side (his off-side).

He's incredibly hard working - you can tell by watching him practice and play that he always puts 100% effort into every play.

In talking about his game day routine - in an exclusive interview with The Hockey News - Stecher talked about his unique approach to his routine, "When I come to the rink I do the same thing, from the second I step foot in the building to the second I leave."

What's the trick to his routine? In Stecher's own words, "the game clock."

"It's all based on the game clock. We have a clock that starts at 60 minutes, so once it starts [there are] certain minute marks that trigger what I'm going to do."

Stecher didn't dive into what exactly those rituals are, but he was more than happy to share when those happen. "60 minute mark is one, 55, 53, 48, 43, 40, 28, 20 and then we are on the ice at 16. So [I] kind of have guidelines based on the clock."

This is the first way I have heard a game day routine be described by any hockey player. Stecher's attention to detail with his routine appears extraordinary. He has his reasons for not revealing all of the actions that make up his routine:

"It's very personal."

He doesn't view it as superstitious - that is, doing certain things at certain times - rather Stecher chooses to stay loose about it, "it's more [about] what makes me feel comfortable. It's more of a mental checklist."

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Nr3z2Ej0Mg[/embed]

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