NHL ENTRY DRAFT

June 22, 1996

Dan Lacouture

It is a real honor. I talked to Mike when he was with Boston. He really likes me as a player. Now he is in New York and it is a great situation. I am real excited to play with someone like Mike Milbury.

Sure, everybody is disappointed about the first round. But I mean, that is the way it goes. I thought I had a really good shot being a first-rounder, but, you know, I went third pick in the second round, it is a great honor, with the Islanders, and great organization.

It is definitely mixed, makes you feel really good. I mean the NHL, they know what I can do and know what kind of player I am and I did have to prove a point after I got cut from the junior team. It is all up to me as to what I am going to do from now on. Hopefully I will be with the Islanders as soon as I am ready. Hopefully that is really soon.

Really good. I am working out with Scotty right now at Boston University. He is right there with me and I am sure he will be real excited that I am down there and Brian Ras (ph), one of my good friends and Sean Haggerty (ph), sort of a little family down there.

Tommy and I are in the same room - see how it works.

I mean, I will definitely go to -- I am in that academically and -- Seattle (sic) had my rights and they still do. I had no problem going to the junior. I knew these teams knew it. Boston University is just as good as a school. It is just a team's preference as to what they want me to do.

The conditioning coach is the biggest reason. You look at their track record in the past, I mean, they are in the NCAA Final 4 every year. I mean, it is just a tradition there that is unbelievable.

They are great guys. Went real well. Was really excited to meet them. We will get together tonight. It should be fun.

Next year I'd like to carry the puck more and do more offensively than I have in the past. I will be -- I will have more room and I have great guys, you know, as far as who I am with, it is just -- got to move the puck and get some points.

Tremendously. The first year I came out there, my game was just going up and I mean, they taught me a lot as far as my game and they have helped me and the conditioning part of it has just been unbelievable. It has just been -- Gene and Gary have just been great. Gary and Gene, I am sure, will be real happy that I am with the Islanders because of Scotty.

It was hard at first. I adjusted within a week. It has just been great. It feels like home. I still call it home. I most likely will for a while.