RALEIGH, N.C. - After nine days without hockey, the Carolina Hurricanes returned to practice on Tuesday.
A few returned with fresh haircuts and some members of the locker room reappeared looking tanner than others. So, aside from at the barbershop, how did the members of the group spend their break?
For some, like Jackson Blake, it was time with the family.
Blake returned to Minnesota for a few days, using the opportunity to breathe after a whirlwind seven-month stretch. Mentally refocusing for the stretch run, the youngest Hurricane said his trip home was highlighted by getting on the ice with his little brother's hockey team.
For others, like Shayne Gostisbehere and Eric Robinson, family time has a new meaning these days. After welcoming his son, Dax, to the world on Jan. 23, Gostisbehere was happy to stick around Raleigh and make up for time lost in the chaos of hockey season.
And as for his diaper-changing skills, Carolina's No. 4 says he's "getting the hang of it."
"I can change them pretty good," he said. "If NASCAR needs a pit stop guy, I think I’m pretty good at that - for changing babies."
Meanwhile, Robinson and his wife are soon-to-be first-time parents. Both New Jersey natives, they returned to the Garden State to set up a baby nursery for their incoming addition and enjoyed a baby shower with family and friends in the area.
Two of Gostisbehere's fellow blueliners - including Jalen Chatfield and Sean Walker - took the opportunity to vacation. The two went to Anguilla, soaking up some sun and enjoying the water.
"We had a good time together. It was just very relaxing and a good reset, for sure," Walker shared. "We did a boat day the one day, which was really great, getting to see the island. It had some really cool beaches, good food, and good people."
Pyotr Kochetkov - who fled to Mexico, as pictured above - took to Instagram to share a witty caption about his trip. "No skates, no stress, just questioning my life choices after too much Mexican food."
And while Andrei Svechnikov went to the Bahamas, Rod Brind'Amour used the free time to take off his head coach hat and be a dad.
"With this job, there's that trade off where you miss a lot," he said just before the team began their break. "So to get to just watch (my youngest son) play is nice."
