	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE MEDIA CONFERENCE

June 2, 2006

DAVID KEON: I'm David Keon of the National Hockey League's public relations department, and this afternoon I'd like to welcome you to this call. We have with us Carolina Hurricanes Captain Rod Brind'Amour and head coach, Peter Laviolette. Carolina, with their exciting 4-2 win over Buffalo last night captured the Eastern Conference Championship, and have advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals where they will meet the Edmonton Oilers beginning Monday at the RBC Center in Raleigh. Thanks to these two gentlemen to take the time today to arrange your questions and thanks to Mike Sundheim for arranging the call.
Q. For Rod, I know it's been five or six years now since you came to Raleigh, but if you could just describe the differences between playing in a big hockey market like Philly and then playing in one of the NHL's smaller markets. And now that I think about it, maybe Coach, you can answer the question, too, since you came over from the Islanders.
ROD BRIND'AMOUR: Well, I can answer just from day one when I got here five or six years ago, the first game was, what, 6,000 people in the rink and there wasn't a lot of excitement in the game. But it's just been steadily growing. Obviously we started a new thing down here. Hockey didn't exist. It's taken a little time, but really in a relatively short period this organization has had a tremendous amount of success and the people here now have embraced the team and the game.
COACH LAVIOLETTE: Just to follow that up, I guess Roddy has been here a lot longer than I have and he's seen it from one end of the spectrum to the other. I haven't been here that long, and, you know, the few months that I was here before the lockout, seems like a long time ago, and I guess the most recent images that I have are of a building that's usually pretty full and pretty loud especially through the playoffs here.
I think Rod is right. They have started something here, and they have built it to a point this year where we've had a good season, and the fans have really enjoyed it and they have come to support us. It doesn't really feel like a small market. It feels like this is home and they are behind us. It doesn't feel that much different from Long Island.
Q. Your thoughts on facing a Canadian team that has an entire country behind them, it seems like, and you may have gotten a flavor of that somewhat in the first round with the atmosphere there. Is that going to be something you're just going to sort of ignore and try and focus on what's at stake?
COACH LAVIOLETTE: You know what, I think it will be exciting. I think back to the Montreal series with the Canadiens when we get up there for Game 3, it was really exciting for our team and for our players. It was a great hockey environment and a great hockey atmosphere.
I think you can draw off that from a visiting team, as well. We were pretty fired up to play that game. It was a great environment to be a part of, and Edmonton seems to be the same way. We're really looking forward to it.
ROD BRIND'AMOUR: I'll just say the same thing. You get to this point in the Finals, whether you're playing -- if there's a team in Mexico, at this point, it would be that intense, anyway, and that crazy. I think it's great that there is a Canadian team because you do get that whole Canadian flare in there and that adds a little more excitement overall.
Q. Is this may be the longest time it's been since two teams from the Stanley Cup actually faced each other, two and a half years since you played Edmonton, and four and a half since they have come to Carolina. How odd is that and does it change your preparation not knowing the guys that well?
COACH LAVIOLETTE: You know, as far as preparation goes, we do a lot of it through video, anyway. I think teams change from year-to-year, so whether you played them two years ago for our years ago, I don't think it really matters. Usually when we break down a team in preparation, it's all based on what they have done this year. So we'll get everything that we need to prepare the players from their series that they have recently played.
I don't think it will affect anything that we do from a coaching standpoint.
Q. Rod?
ROD BRIND'AMOUR: Again, you could have played a team early in the year a couple of times. At this point it would probably be a little different anyway. Coach Laviolette is right, once you see a team, you get to know what they are going to do and to be honest, really, we've said it all year, it's more about what we have to do anyway. And I know they are saying the same thing.
Q. Could you talk about how much different of a player you are now than you were earlier in your career, how your team has evolved as you have progressed, I guess, as a player through your career?
ROD BRIND'AMOUR: I don't know that I've changed much to be honest with you. I've been getting that question this year a lot, but, you know, I'm certainly not faster in that regard. I think the older you get, maybe you get a little more intelligent; I like to think that way.
The game really has not changed I think all that much. I know this year, obviously, and especially being granted a tremendous amount of opportunity and just playing on a great team. Put those two things together and good things happen.
Q. In terms of the preparation going forward, it would seem that that was a pretty intense series you were just coming off of --
COACH LAVIOLETTE: I think you get asked that question a lot, and it's always based on whether or not somebody has to go seven games or somebody has a layoff. And I think that you can find both scenarios that have happened through the playoffs this year where it's worked for somebody and against somebody, both ways.
And I think more it's going to matter what the puck drops. I think one thing we always say is about, you know, execution and how hard you execute. That usually determines a lot of hockey games. I think Edmonton is a great example of that. They get into a series -- Anaheim got into a series and they went into the next one and did real well and they didn't get any rest. I think there's been scenarios both ways that I don't think it really matters. I think when the puck drops, that's what matters.
Q. You played with Craig MacTavish in Philadelphia, and Peter can you give us your memories of coaching Michael Peca?
ROD BRIND'AMOUR: Yeah, I mean, Mac-T was a great player to have on your team. He's the kind of guy, very professional, perfect coach. He's very intelligent in all aspects of the game. Enjoyed the game and it was one year that I enjoyed playing with him. I'm sure that's why he's a great coach. He was always right on the ball with everything, on all power plays, penalty kills, just a very intelligent player and knew the game very well. It doesn't surprise me that he's doing well as a coach.
COACH LAVIOLETTE: As far as Michael goes, I mean, he was the captain of the Islanders when I first got there. And you know, he did an excellent job of taking a team that had not made the playoffs in a while and providing his leadership, we were able to get back into the playoffs. Had a real good series with Toronto and lost in seven games. And in that series, I think it was the first game of the year, Michael hurt his shoulder and on the last game of his season, he hurt his knee in, what, a week after he had major reconstructions on both joints. That's a tough thing to recover from. Recovering from one surgery is a lot to ask a player, and recovering from two of them at the same time; I'm really glad to see him playing back as well as he is. He's been -- he was extremely effective in the playoffs for us when he was healthy and doing the same for Edmonton now. I think he's played well, and it doesn't surprise me because I think just now that he's back. Probably his body is feeling better and really shows the type of player that he is.
Q. Can you both address this, basically, you've got two teams that look very similar in a lot of ways with the speed, the transition game, the way the goaltending has been going for both of you. At the same time, you're very different in a lot of ways. Can you talk about the contrast?
COACH LAVIOLETTE: You know, I think a lot of the teams play -- you know, hockey doesn't vary that much, it really doesn't. Everybody's got a system but they are almost all the same. I don't know, I'm a believer that if you know what you're doing, it doesn't matter what you're doing, but if you know what you're doing as a team and you play it as a team, you can find success.
I don't think there's a whole lot of -- Montreal mirrored Buffalo, Buffalo probably mirrors Edmonton and all three of them mirror us. I don't think there's a lot of difference between teams. Some styles, maybe, but to me, success always comes on how well you play whatever style you choose, and they are all similar, but for me, that's where success comes from.
Q. You were with a team four years ago when you reached the Stanley Cup Finals. What's the difference mind-set wise where at that time nobody expected you to be there and this time people did?
ROD BRIND'AMOUR: I'm not sure people expected us to be here and I know we did, and I know that's one of the key differences from teams past is right from day one this year, you know, thanks to Lavi, he instilled in us that we were going to be here, and looking back, we didn't really believe we could be there. That's one huge thing. I think going into the Finals this time around, we don't feel like a huge underdog or anything like that. I think we have a real confident feeling about our team and all we're capable of doing.
Q. And to follow up, Coach, does it matter, 8th seed at this point playing an 8th seed, does seeding at all matter?
COACH LAVIOLETTE: I don't think so. I mean, they are playing extremely well. It doesn't matter if it's a 1 seed or an 8 seed. I think if you get down this far in the playoffs, you've got to be playing well.
We've had tough series, they have had tough series and games are decided by such a small margin. But I don't -- I don't think it really matters to us, and I also agree with what Roddy said. I think just from the start of the season, you know, we felt like we could win hockey games, and it wasn't about the opponent; it was about us. We had confidence we could do that. I think the same thing holds true.
Edmonton is playing extremely well and they have knocked off seeds ahead of them obviously. It doesn't matter if they are an 8 seed or 1 seed or 3 seed, they are playing good hockey. So we're going to show up and play our game.
Q. Superstitions are such a big part of playoff lore. If you can address the whole idea of lifting the Cup as a championship trophy or not doing the same and Ron Francis lifting it a couple of years ago?
ROD BRIND'AMOUR: Well, to be honest, I answered this last night, in Philadelphia, we were "No, don't touch, don't touch"; we got swept. And last time Ronny touched it, we lost as well. So I don't really -- for me it made no difference, but there was a few guys that were pretty adamant about not wanting to do it. We're all superstitious in some ways, and I'm definitely not going to get in the way of that for some of the guys. So we just decided not to do anything. Nobody really, to be honest with you really cares so much about that trophy. It's all about this next one.
Q. Going back to the original question, the start of this call talking about playing in this market and the audience growing, particular this year was a difficult one, not only for the Hurricanes having come back from a couple of seasons that were not too great, but also the lockout. Rod, you actually said at start of the season, in the small market, players have to do a little bit more, and if we win, the people will come back. Do you carry that through the season with you -- Peter, you said something similar; was that an added pressure for you or winning is the point, did it even really enter your mind?
COACH LAVIOLETTE: I think it was a little bit -- it's something I thought about because we were a smaller market and you're trying to -- coming off the lockout here, you're trying to make a statement back to the fans. All of the marketing, we have great people that market here. But the best way to market a team is to be successful so I think there was a little bit.
The fans I think have been here all year. The winning was good but a lot of times it was the way we won games. There was shootouts, there was comebacks, lots of comebacks and exciting games and entertaining games. It was not a ho-hum game or a ho-hum building where people came in. I think that helped draw them back to a point where we were last night where you're on the bench and I couldn't talk to -- honestly if Roddy was just over the boards on the ice, I had a hard time communicating to him, and he had a hard time hearing me just based on the noise level in the building. It really is a great place to play hockey and a great place for the fans to come.
Q. I guess my question for Rod, in addition to that, you say you haven't changed much as a player, but it's been my impression that you have changed significantly as a spokesman for the team, as a Captain, of course that's part of your job, but did you feel personally a burden to get out and run your yap a little bit and draw people in to the Hurricanes, to the sport?
ROD BRIND'AMOUR: Well, there is a responsibility as a player regardless of whether you're a captain or not and especially in a market like this. Lavi said it best, it's about winning and if you do that, people will come and watch your team. And if you don't do that, you really can't expect them to come watch your team. There's only a few markets in the NHL, Canada, maybe Philadelphia and New York where they can be bad and still sell out. Everywhere else, it's about winning, and that's our main objective to, get the people back and we were able to do that.
Q. Did the rule changes help you with that this job?
ROD BRIND'AMOUR: The rule changes? It helped our team because the off-season, I thinks pre-lockout we prepared better for it better than any organization out there. We were able to pick up players, great players, as opposed it trying to figure out how to get rid of guys. That goes to the management and the coaches, getting in the right guys for the new rule changes.
Q. Obviously it worked out for you pretty well last night, but I'm wondering if I can get your thoughts on the delay of game rule that led to the power play that led to the winning goal last night. It's been a little controversial over the course of this year and just wondering if either of you guys think that rule needs to be tweaked a little bit or do you think it's fine the way it is?
COACH LAVIOLETTE: You know, well, I don't think -- and I've heard a lot of talk, and I personally don't think it should be a discretionary call. To be honest, they hardly ever call it. Either it stays in or it stays out for me.
I guess I'm more of a believer, put the rules in place and we'll have to play by them. It's like when you go to your team and you have a question, there's a good chance that you're going to get 50/50, so you probably shouldn't even ask the question. So I'm more of the belief: Just put the rules out there and have the teams know what they are and play by them. Right now that rule sits in there -- that rule sits in there that you shoot the puck out from your defensive zone, that's a penalty; and the referee has made the right call, it's not a judgment call and that's what happened. We had one kill based on the new rules, as well, and that goes under the radar, but with three minutes, four minutes to go in the game, it was a marginal hook. It was a hook by the new rules, but in the old rules, it probably would have slid by on Justin Williams and we had to kill a penalty.
So these rules are in place. You can debate them all day long if you wanted to. The bottom line is, everybody's got the same rules and you've got to figure them out and figure out how to play within that system.
Q. For Rod, wondering, this is to do with Peter bringing in the bottle of wine last night, and I wonder what had it felt like for you to be the person who was awarded that bottle?
ROD BRIND'AMOUR: You know, I haven't given it to Rod yet because I haven't seen him since the chaos broke loose last night.
Q. I'm assuming you haven't changed your mind?
COACH LAVIOLETTE: No, I have not. Actually just for the record as well, I would never -- I've done my best to let Rod go after I'm done here just to explain it a bit. I've done my best when people have interviewed me when they say, talk about Rod Brind'Amour or talk about Eric Staal. I've done my best to always try and say, yeah, they are playing great but it's been about Eric Staal, Rod Brind'Amour and Cam Ward, Ray Whitney, Cory Stillman, all of them. I wouldn't want to pick this myself, so the person who picked it was the family of the little girl.
Q. Special teams has played such a big roll in this season and the new NHL and you have the No. 1 power play and Edmonton has the number one penalty kills, what do you expect, sounds like you're headed for a collision course on special teams?
COACH LAVIOLETTE: Well, special teams has been so important, it made the difference last night in the game obviously. We're in here today just starting to look at their penalty kill, and I was sitting down with Kevin McCarthy, and my assistant coaches have done an unbelievable job, they are the ones go through the film and break it down and we come up with a package and present it to the players.
They are going to be very similar to the New Jersey type team where they get in the shot lanes, they try and pack their net. They are not maybe quite as aggressive as we saw in Buffalo. I think it's going to resemble a little bit more of what we saw in the first two rounds, but ultimately trying to get pucks through. And I think that's the problem, they get people in the shot lanes, people in front of their net and they do a good job at it.
You know, there's the saying, of course, that your best penalty killer is your goaltender and they have had great goaltending to go. So to go along with that as well.
DAVID KEON: Thank you very much, guys.

End of FastScripts...

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297