Adding bulk in the offseason was a priority for many of the Lewiston Maineiacs.
LEWISTON – While it’s true that most teenage boys have a hard time doing laundry (even when they do it at all), it’s doubtful that every player on the Lewiston Maineiacs’ roster last season spent the summer shrinking their shirts.
It was conspicuous, then, when Eric Castonguay, a 17-year-old rookie in 2004-05, arrived at camp this week with sleeves too short for his arms and the sleeves seem nearly popping from the top of his shoulders.
“The coach asked me to arrive at 190 pounds,” said Castonguay, who played most of last year at about 180. “They wanted me to be bigger, mostly in the upper body and in the shoulders. I gained about 10 pounds and came to camp at 192.”
Castonguay was the top goal-scorer among Maineiacs rookies last season with 19 goals. Still, the coaching staff felt he could have been an even stronger offensive weapon with a bit more size.
“Size is a big factor in this league,” said Maineiacs head coach and general manager Clem Jodoin. “The bigger a guy is, the better shape he is in, the better chance he has to score goals in front.”
“The thought I lost a lot of 1-on-1s last year,” said Castonguay. “The coaches wanted me to be more solid. They told me it would be easier to rush with the puck and stay with the puck if I was a bit stronger.”
Sebastien Piche, who joined the Maineiacs halfway through last season and quickly became a mainstay on the blueline at 16, also arrived at camp bigger.
“He’s huge,” said Jodoin of Piche, comparing him to last season. “He got bigger, and he’s gritty.”
One of Piche’s fellow blueliners, 20-year-old Brandon Roach, went through a similar spurt between the 2003-04 season and last season.
“My role changed that summer, too,” said Roach. “That year, I really went from being a follower to a leader, from 18 to 19. At 19, I had to fill a role as a leader, and to do that I had to lead by example.”
This season’s routine for Roach hasn’t been as much about growth as it has about maintenance.
“My big season was last year to bulk up,” said Roach. “This year, I kept on the same routine, and if I gained five pounds or whatever, it’s a bonus. It also helps, too, to come back more prepared, and less likely to get injured.”
Last year, the Maineiacs lost more key players to injuries than any other team. Some of the players that were injured – Mathieu Aubin, Marc-Andre Cliche and Maxime Mathieu – are among the players that have trained the hardest over the off-season.
“We have to remember, too, that these are still kids,” said Jodoin. “They are still growing. A year can make a big difference.”
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