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“It took me a good three or four weeks,” Condon said. “I told myself I was going to take care of myself for a month. I feel great. No issues neurologically, knock on wood, but it’s part of the position.”

There was no shortage of work for Condon. Not only did he skate with players based in the Boston area (about an hour drive from Cape Cod) during the summer, he also got an invite from Ottawa centre Matt Duchene to attend a camp with NHL players last month in Vail, Colorado.

The sessions run by Pittsburgh Penguins’ strength and conditioning coach Andy O’Brien served as a good tuneup for camp because the likes of Sidney Crosby, John Tavares, Jake Gardiner, Jeff Skinner, James and Trevor van Riemsdyk along with Leafs’ goalie Freddie Anderson were also on hand.

Midway through last month, Ottawa goalie coach Pierre Groulx also spent some time on the ice with Condon in Cape Cod so there’s been no shortage of preparation.

“You always want to have a good year and you always want to feel good and have success through winning,” Condon said. “You could have own personal success when things are going badly but if not for wins then why are you doing it? Winning makes this game a lot more fun and enjoyable.

“You can’t just go out there, squeeze your muscles and just say, ‘win’. You have to attack it using methods _ that’s just staying calm, loose and positive. If I do those things who knows what’s going to happen.”

Condon has stayed off social media _ including Instagram and Twitter.

“I have all the accounts but I’ve just taken them off my phone,” he said. “When you read all that stuff, no offence to your work, but when you read all the narratives no matter how mentally strong you are deep down inside, your ego and your subconcious is start bouncing those opinions around.”

“I’m a lot happier when I don’t read it. I’m just focused on the little things.”

Condon’s only focus is on winning.

bgarrioch@postmedia.com

Twitter: @sungarrioch