Scottie Upshall When the grueling NHL season ends, Scottie Upshall of the Florida Panthers enjoys his moments in the sun.

        When a man spends the majority of his time honing his craft on a sheet of frozen water, you can cut him a bit of slack for wanting to spend some time in warmer climates. Few NHL players have been able to strike that balance as well as Scottie Upshall.
        During the grueling pro hockey season, the Florida Panthers forward leaves his cold place of business for the turquoise views that Miami has in abundance. In the offseason, the native of Fort McMurray, Alberta heads west to Southern California for his summer home just off the surfable waves of the Pacific Ocean.
         After being picked sixth overall by the Nashville Predators back in 2002, the hard-working, easy-going left wing brought his skill set to four different franchises before finding a home with the Panthers. Staying power plus a relentlessly positive mindset—not to mention his sun-splashed home cities—make him exceptionally grateful.
        “I have been very fortunate to be healthy at 30 with more great years ahead,’’ said Upshall, a devotee of power flow yoga. “I love life in California, where I can focus on summer training because staying fit is so important. My friends and trainers are here and everywhere there is a positive vibe.” 
         Upshall was traded from Nashville to Philadelphia to Phoenix to Columbus before signing as a free agent with the Panthers in 2011, where he has been ever since.  The off-season California discovery was more by happenstance. His buddy, Joffrey Lopul, formerly a forward with Anaheim and now with Toronto, had a beach house at Newport, and Upshall saw the writing in the sand.
      “I used to visit and it really doesn't take a scientist to come to California and say ‘Wow, it's just a beautiful place and wouldn't it be nice to live here?’ Finally one summer, after injuring my knee in Phoenix, I found a really good trainer and decided the lifestyle here fit me perfectly. I have good friends close by, and it’s never hard to find a golf game.”
          Upshall also doesn’t shy away from the fashion scene, which included his Athletes Quarterly shoot on another perfect June day in California. “Everything went super cool,’’ he said. “We picked out some really cool outfits. I enjoyed it. Fashion is definitely part of life here in a laid-back way. That’s probably why I enjoy the life here so much. You get your work done in the mornings, and then in the afternoon and evening time, it's about whatever you like to do, and you can wear whatever you like.
          Upshall’s summer plans also included visiting the Panthers prospect camp to become acquainted with the fresh wave of talent joining the organization. He remembers well what it felt like to be the young hotshot prospect, even back to the day he and fellow 2002 first rounders spent at the Stanley Cup Finals that year.
           “We saw Igor Larionov score in triple overtime of Game 3 in Raleigh against the Hurricanes,’’ he recalls. “What a taste to get for your first NHL experience.”
           Upshall scored his first goal at Madison Square Garden that November against Mike Richter and the Rangers. He subsequently helped the Flyers reach the Eastern Conference Finals in 2008.
           And he was a key contributor as the Panthers won their division in 2011-12 with 94 points before bowing to the Devils in a hard-fought first round of the playoffs. Upshall said his parents have collected keepsakes from all of his stops along the way, including memorabilia from his days with the Kamloops Blazers and Fort McMurray Oil Barons.
         “You always have to play this game with your heart on your sleeve, staying strong mentally to be on top of your game,’’ he said. “That's all my Mom and Dad wanted from me. I take pride in that.”
          Upshall now finds himself as a veteran voice on a young Panthers team that is coming off a difficult season. They won only 29 games, going through two coaches and finishing seventh in their division. Upshall contributed 15 goals and 22 assists and sees better times ahead for the south Florida franchise, which has reached the postseason just once since 2000. But they do have an accomplished goaltender in place with Roberto Luongo and a new coach, Gerard Gallant to help guide the young talent.   
           “We’ll have a mix of guys growing up together, that will be our weapon,’’ he said. "Young players need veterans around to be better pros. I learned that in my early years so I’ll always be there for the guys. At the end of the day, when you show up at the rink to play in an NHL game, the adrenaline flows when you throw that jersey over your head and go out for warm-ups and the national anthem. It's a thrill when the puck drops. Always will be.”