TAMPA, Fla. _ This was the longest offseason of Ryan McDonagh's career.
It's been 149 days since last season ended, and it felt even longer for McDonagh and all the Lightning.
They didn't necessarily think about last season's disappointment every one of those days. There was time to relax, time to enjoy family and friends, but none of them aspired for nearly five months of down time.
Now, it's time.
Training camp started with physicals, fitness testing and the first team meeting on Thursday. The Lightning hit the ice for the first time on Friday, starting at 8:55 a.m. at the Ice Sport Forum.
"We could sit and pout in the corner, but it's not going to change anything that happened last year," Steven Stamkos said. "I'm hoping guys come in with that extra motivation and a little chip on their shoulder because I know I will."
The tone was set from that first team meeting.
The day started with hugs for teammates and staffers they hadn't seen in a while. Players cheered each other on in fitness testing.
Then they filed into the large room typically used for media (bigger than the team's usual meeting spaces) and picked up booklets titled 2019 Lightning Training Camp as Jon Cooper took the front of the room.
No sugar coating here, just business.
"A lot of us in that room went through what we did," McDonagh said. "There's no denying it. At the same time, you can't keep dreading on it. A new season is here now, so thankfully, we can start focusing on when our next game is, when our next practice is."
A big part of that meeting went back to a topic of discussion last year: defense. The Lightning aren't changing their identity, but they can't lose track of the defense amidst the high pace and scoring.
That means fewer and lower quality scoring chances. That means fewer penalties.
"Those are areas that ended up biting us in the butt at the end of the day. We know that," Julien BriseBois said. "This has to be a reality. We have to be committed to being better in these areas."
McDonagh dove right into the specific habits to build that aren't all about physicality, including staying above your check, not giving away the puck.
"That's a good message to set right away," he said.
Sure, the Lightning possess speed, skill and scoring. But adding in good defensive habits and discipline only adds balance to make this team harder to play against.
They talked about it last year, but they want to do it this year. Some of the offseason's additions address that. The Lightning added size on the blue line with a younger but experienced group.
And the team broke the mold with a new forward.
Standing in front of a Lightning backdrop for the first time, Pat Maroon joked he isn't what anyone is used to seeing here. At 6-foot-3, 225 pounds Maroon is now the tallest roster forward by two inches and biggest by 24 pounds.
Maroon said his St. Louis Blues won the Stanley Cup last year by wearing teams down. His job now is to be physical, a net front presence and open up space.
"Hopefully my big body can bring that here to this organization," he said.
Maroon now knows exactly what it takes to win the Cup. He came to the Lightning because this organization gives him a chance to go do it again.
That's what it all comes down to. Last year was great, record-setting kind of great. But it wasn't good enough and the Lightning went home without their ultimate goal.
"You can look back and say it was a tremendous season and no doubt it was," McDonagh said. "But I think if you asked any of (the players who won individual awards), they'd trade them in. Hopefully this year we can have that success at the end of the season."
