Team-bonding put to the test

At one point, though, I did want to take my Sportsnet microphone and yell out "This next one is for couples only" - just to see if Nick Foligno and Chris Kelly would be forced to MLB jerseys awkwardly pair up.

The last time the Sens tried this type of unique team-building thing, it didn't quite work out as planed. Anyone else remember the Great Mustache Contest of 2008? While the hair on their upper lips grew, the losing never stopped under Craig Hartsburg. The only good thing to come out of that contest, was that for a three-week period, Martin Gerber looked exactly like Super Mario.
Look at this way: At least nobody got mugged in Central Park. And that is saying a lot for this team right now, with the way their luck has gone.

For the players, this trip to the Central Park rink was a real treat. They got to go public skating without dealing with the usual obstacles like 4-year-olds using chairs for balance and Asian tourists clinging to the boards.

Today, it was another goalie who was in the spotlight. Pascal Leclaire ended the afternoon by showing off his signature dance move called "The Flower". Pascal told me that the move looks a lot better in the club than it does on the ice. Personally, I'm having a hard time picturing a location where that move would be socially acceptable. (Note to Pascal, if that's how you picked up your girlfriend, that's great. But you could have saved yourself time and embarrassment and just told her you were a multimillion dollar NHL goalie).

Now these types of team-bonding activities offer no guarantee of success. Guy Carbonneau cancelled a Habs practice in Alberta last year and took the team to a bowling alley instead. But one day after that, the Habs ended up getting bowled over 7-2 by Edmonton and their season eventually ended up in the gutter when they were swept out of the playoffs.
Before the start of last season, the Pittsburgh Penguins had a unique team-bonding activity, when they organized a scavenger hunt through the streets of Stockholm. Players were paired off in groups and had to follow a set of clues - kind of like "The Amazing Race" with just the right touch of Ruslan Fedotenko.

And guess what?

The Penguins ended up winning the Stanley Cup at the end of the year. So maybe sometimes, these crazy, off-the-wall ideas aren't so bad after all. (But it also doesn't hurt to have Crosby and Malkin on your team).

Earlier this season, John Stevens organized a Florida vacation for his Philadelphia players, complete with a sailboat regatta and fishing expedition.

Shortly thereafter, the Flyers made Stevens walk the plank and they've been trying to get their heads above water in the Eastern Conference.

But cancelling fun activities isn't necessarily the right approach either. Pat Quinn recently scrapped a Palm Springs golf trip for his players, replacing it with intense practices and video sessions. The result in the first game: A 5-3 loss to Nashville.

Would two days of sun and golf really hurt the team?