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NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: BLACKHAWKS v LIGHTNINGJune 9, 2015Victor HedmanSteven StamkosCHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Practice Day Q. Victor, last night Antoine stall man asked you how you make these plays. How do you make some of those plays out there? VICTOR HEDMAN: I try to take advantage of my speed obviously. Try to take what's there. You know, yesterday was a great play. I was able to get up in the rush, try to put the puck to the net. I got my stick on it. For me it's all about trying to make the plays that's there, try not to force things too much. Trying to use my strengths as a player. Q. Victor, Jon talked about the evolution of your game. When you didn't make the Swedish Olympic team last year, what did that do to you mentally? Was it a source of motivation for you? VICTOR HEDMAN: I don't know if 'motivation' is the right word. You're obviously disappointed to not make a team that you fight for. At the same time we had a game that night in Winnipeg. It was kind of easy for me to switch focus to that, focus on Tampa. But, you know, I always try to improve as a player obviously every year, try to bring my game to another level. I don't think 'motivation' is the right word. But you're always disappointed not to represent your country on such a big stage. Q. Steven, Victor said the other day when he was injured, he looked to you as an example of an injury you'd gone through, the way you came to the rink with a good attitude and everything. What did you see from him as he was going through that? Did you talk about that? STEVEN STAMKOS: Well, I think both of us are the same when it comes to not being able to help your team. You're frustrated at the fact you can't go out there and be a difference. But you can still be a difference coming to the rink, like you said, motivated to come back. I think it helps just being around the guys. When you go through injuries like that, it's tough. But if you have that attitude, I know it can be contagious to some of the guys on the team, as well. You never want to go through those situations, but if you can come back, I think that helps you as a player, too, just getting to the rink, being around the guys. Hedy was no different. Obviously we're glad to be in the position we are right now. Q. Steven, were you as surprised as everyone else when Victor didn't make the Swedish Olympic team? Did you talk to him about the disappointment of 2010 for you? STEVEN STAMKOS: I don't think there was much discussion about that. I mean, if we didn't get asked the questions here today, I don't think anyone would be talking about that, to be honest. I think in a heartbeat we would both trade the opportunity to be where we are today. That's the exciting thing, is we're two games away from our ultimate dreams. I think everyone wants to represent their country on the highest stage. But as a kid growing up, wanting to be an NHL player, first and foremost you want to win a Stanley Cup. We've been fortunate enough to be put in the position we are right now to be two games or two wins away from ultimately our dream. So I think that is our main focus right now. Q. You've been through a couple situations in the post‑season. Have those moments prepared you to handle a 2‑1 lead in the Stanley Cup Final, especially knowing the team on the other side? STEVEN STAMKOS: Yeah, I think we've been able to grow as a team through all these different experiences in the playoffs. You kind of get the ball rolling. Who knows what's going to happen next game. We have to be prepared for either being up 3‑1 or the series tied. We've had that same mentality coming into every game, that you can only control our structure, our work ethic, our compete. Whatever happens happens. It's a rollercoaster of emotions throughout these playoffs. Our group has responded every time, whether it be a big win or a tough loss. Last game was a big win for our group. I've said it now the past couple games, we're finding consistency at the right time, we're able to deal with those different emotions. That's when you need it most at this time of the year, being able to respond to a big win and a tough loss. Our group has been able to do that. It's just continually gotten better as we've gone through this process together. Q. Jon said yesterday twice, pregame, then postgame, described your performance as a coming out party. How would you describe your game at this stage? VICTOR HEDMAN: I think it's easy for an individual to get better when you play with such great teammates. It's no different for me. I always go out there and want to make a difference on both ends of the ice. For an individual, you need the whole team behind you. I'm fortunate enough to be on this team. The resiliency we showed throughout the playoffs, we had some adversity, but every time we faced some, we bounced right back. I think it's much easier, like I said, as an individual to get better, try to rise to the occasion. But, you know, it's just the team itself that matters the most. Q. Steven, everybody talks about how it's important to have a stopper that's hot in the playoffs. Victor's performance in these playoffs, does that display that to you? STEVEN STAMKOS: I wouldn't say it's a coming out party. That phrase is used because of the stage we're on. People finally get to see Victor. We see him every day. It's not a surprise to us. I've been fortunate enough to play with him since he came into the league. Coming in as an 18‑year‑old defenseman, that's probably the toughest position to come in with such high expectations. You see him mature as a player, as a person, evolve as a leader on this team. This is a big stage, a lot of attention. People are starting to see Victor on a world stage now. In this room we knew he was that player all along. It takes time in this league. I think every great player, you have to start somewhere. It's been impressive to watch. But you said it, he's been an absolute beast for us out there. Very rare do you see the combination of size and speed and smarts. You need really good defensemen at this time of the year. You look across and see Chicago with the guys they have. Well, I think the guys on our team are just getting that notoriety now because of the stage we're on. They've been unbelievable players for us all season long. Q. Steven, this Blackhawks team has been historically pretty good when trailing in a series. What difference in their game do you anticipate from them now? STEVEN STAMKOS: We're going to get their best. We have to be prepared for that. I think we saw it in the first period yesterday when they can get on a roll. Good teams, we're certainly there. You find ways to win games. They've done the same for a long time now. We have to expect that. I don't think anything's going to surprise us. They're going to come out extremely hard. This is the situation we were in in Game1. We found a way to respond. They're going to respond. This is going to be a good test for this group. Obviously they have the experience. But we're going through it. Like I said a couple minutes ago, you have to go through these situations to gain that experience. We seem to rise to the occasion every round. It gets magnified now with how big these games are. We said it all along, we have confidence in our group and want to continue to build on that. Q. Steven, even with the loss in the first game against Chicago, the way this team has played for the first three games of the series, are you playing your best hockey right now in the playoffs? STEVEN STAMKOS: Definitely the most consistent. You go back to Game 7 against the Rangers, that's four in a row where we've given ourselves a chance to win every game. You know it's not going to happen. We saw that in Game1. We learned our lessons pretty quick, whether it's having to come back like we did last night. Did that in previous series. We gave up a lead in Game1. That's all you can ask for as a group, is to go through these situations and get better the next time you're in them. That's what makes it so fun. You never know what's going to happen in these games. You have to be ready for every situation. Q. Victor, could you describe when Jon decides to dress seven defensemen, how does it change the flow of the game for you and for the five other regular defensemen? VICTOR HEDMAN: I don't think it's changed too much, other than the fact you maybe have to play on both sides, both the left and the right side. But we have seven capable defensemen who can play on this stage. To say Nesty step in and play the way he does has been impressive. We got seven guys that can really play. We just have to be focused on the task. Doesn't matter if we dress six or seven defensemen, we know that everyone is going to go out there and do the best they can for us to have success. That's been the case throughout the whole playoffs. Q. (No microphone.) VICTOR HEDMAN: On the road, it's obviously tougher to get those matchups. We're comfortable with the four lines, the seven D, to go up against anyone. Obviously, I mean, it doesn't really change too much for us. Q. Steven, you talk about this team's quiet confidence. How unique is that compared to teams you've been on in the past? STEVEN STAMKOS: I think this is the most talented group I've ever played with.  You see the depth. We talk about it a lot. But you don't get this far without different guys stepping up in different moments. It's tough out there. You need that secondary scoring, which we've gotten. The guys have played with that confidence since day one. I mean, that's the approach that we have as a team. Obviously it starts from management down to coaching staff down to the leaders, to the players, to the goalies. Everyone has confidence in each other. Sometimes that's a tough thing to get. When you have it, you try to run with it as long as you can because it is so precious in this game. You know, the way we've been able to play on the road I think has been the thing that's impressed us and probably a lot of people. We didn't have a great record during the season on the road. That was something a lot of people talked about. It's just our willingness to play that tight checking game knowing that if there's limited scoring chances, we have the talent and the depth, if we get those one or two at the end, we can find a way. I think we've learned since the beginning of the playoffs, it might not happen the first shift, might not happen with five minutes left, it might happen with three minutes left like last game. When you have that confidence, it's easy to look down the bench to the guy beside you knowing he could be a hero. Everybody has the confidence in each other in that regard. THE MODERATOR: Thank you, guys. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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