Not read all the posts but here is my 2pc, To really get the most of what you are learning you need to be FIT... Far to many people get no where near their potential due to poor fitness. Hockey is very unique in what demands it puts on your body you really need to be a complete athlete, now that is not to say that if you are 100 pounds overweight you cannot compete as you can still do a job however.. Hockey is not a twice a week activity that you do then go off and eat shit and drink beer then wonder why you are dead after the warm up, you need to really take your overall fitness seriously if you are passionate about getting better. It can be something as simply as doing a hour of cycling 5 days of the week, you would see a massive difference in your endurance if you maintained this esp if you are unable to get on the ice to skate as often as you would like. Also remember that you gain endurance by steady excercise not full out lung busting, just watch a morning skate for a pro team it is very controlled and about going through the drills at 70% pace, I would say about 1/2 of your on ice training should be at this pace so you can gain more time during the drills concentrating on what you are doing. Again I see players trying to do things way to fast and doing it wrong then getting pissed and hating the session.