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Adjustments Keep Coming

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 16, 2008

Lightning center and No. 1 overall draft pick Steven Stamkos is making the transition this season from junior star to NHL regular. Throughout the season, the 18-year-old from Markham, Ontario, will share his experiences with Tribune writer Erik Erlendsson and provide a weekly diary to provide Tribune readers an insight to a new way of life along his rookie journey.

Coming off playing six games in nine nights over the past week is something new for me.

It's definitely an adjustment to the NHL schedule compared to juniors. In the OHL we had three games in three nights, but then we would have a week off. So it's an adjustment, especially with the traveling and being away from home. You're eating out at restaurants and spending time at the hotel with your roommate.

For me, I've been pretty fortunate to have Ryan Craig as my roommate; we go to sleep at the same time, we wake up around the same time, so that's worked out.

You just have to make sure you keep an eye on getting you're proper rest because you have morning skates and games. You have to eat properly and rest properly because you are going to be drained mentally and physically. So this has definitely been a learning process for me.

Getting ready mentally to play virtually every night is something that I need to definitely learn, especially when you are playing in games when there are lots of penalties and you are sitting on the bench for long stretches. That's something for me that I find myself needing to learn how to deal with to stay mentally in the game.

It's tough when you take two or three penalties in a row and you're on the bench for six or seven minutes. It's tough to get the legs going and mentally prepared out there in the game.

For me, in juniors I was used to being out there all the time so this is a new experience for me and it's something I need to try to deal with.

I know it's going to come, but it's going to take some time and it's definitely something I'm trying to work on.

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