Winnipeg Jets prospect Zach Nehring wanted to add size without slowing down

When we spoke with Winnipeg Jets prospect Zach Nehring at Development Camp last month, one detail stood out during the conversation. The 6-foot-5 winger from Minot, N.D., said he had already added 12 pounds during the offseason.

For Nehring, the goal wasn’t simply to get bigger. It was about building strength that would help him handle the demands of the upcoming college season while continuing his development toward the pro game.

Ask almost any NHL prospect about their offseason training and you’ll hear a familiar response. Get bigger, faster and stronger. The tricky part is finding the right balance. Adding strength can help a player handle the physical demands of college or pro hockey, but putting on too much weight too quickly can come at the expense of mobility.

So how has Nehring gone about adding strength while keeping that balance in mind?

“A lot of work goes into it. I had a big talk with Fersch [Western Michigan coach Pat Ferschweiler] at the end of the year about where I need to be at for my body, just when I’m ready to be at the next step. And I was telling him, ’cause he told me he wanted me to put on 15-20 pounds, and I said I don’t want to come into camp or the first few skates at the beginning of the year being slow and looking out of shape. He was like, don’t worry, you’re working out all the time, just stay off the ice a little bit.”

Adding that weight has required plenty of work away from the rink as well. Nehring said he’s eating about five or six thousand calories a day, but the biggest challenge has been planning it all out.

“I’m waking up, eating my breakfast, I’m having my 1600-calorie shake every time after my lift and just like whatever I’m doing, if I’m golfing I have to have my stuff planned out and I think that’s just been the biggest thing for me.”

Fueling that plan has meant finding meals he can consistently stick with, even if his teammates aren’t always impressed with his choices.

“The boys at school make fun of me, I’m a big ground beef guy, so just ground beef and rice. That’s every single lunch for me. Just ten ounces of ground beef and a bunch of rice. Every day.”

The meal may sound simple, but Nehring does have one way of adding some flavour.

“I’m a big spicy mayo guy. I love that. A little bit of ranch maybe, but it’s been pretty consistent. I haven’t gotten sick of it.”

The offseason wasn’t just about adding size for Nehring. It was about preparing his body for the next challenge. Now, the focus shifts to seeing how those changes translate when he returns to Western Michigan for his junior season and continues his development toward the next level.