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NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: DEVILS v AVALANCHEJune 9, 2001Patrick RoyDENVER, COLORADO: Game Seven Q. Ray was just asked if he should retire. He is going to wait a couple of weeks. Do you think Ray should retire or keep playing? PATRICK ROY: I am not the right person to ask that question. My mind, I'd love to see Ray come back next year and defend the title. That is his decision. Q. Some people were writing the obituary for this team after the first team against L.A. you come back and win your third Conn Smythe after that. Did you thrive on that challenge of people doubting you to will yourself to play better like you have done in the past? PATRICK ROY: No, not really. I knew it was going in the right direction. It was just a matter -- it is hard to express and make that, you know, try to having the press understand that. But I knew I was going to the right direction and it was just a matter of keep working hard and believe in it and fortunate for us-- I mean we played a super series against L.A. and it was a good, that series was good for us and it gave us a good preparation for series against the Blues. Q. Is there anyway to compare this championship to the others that you have won and also the Conn Smythe? PATRICK ROY: Well, they are all different. No doubt about it. The ride all different. This one was a bit bumpy at times and adversity and there was a name missing on that thing and today I mean, it is back to normal. Q. The team eight months ago started this mantra of one team one goal, how satisfying is it being down 3-2 then accomplishing the goal? PATRICK ROY: I thought when we -- basically when we started the season consistency was a big part of our meetings and we all mentioned if we could play a Game 7 in our building we have our chance and fortunately for us we won two Game 7s in those series. I thought that was a big factor. But those guys I mean they play so hard all year. I think everybody deserves their share of credit. Q. When you look back there was a lot of moments in these Playoffs, but the moment in that L.A. game when Ray batted the puck off of the goal line, seemed like a big turning point at the time. Will that be a moment that you will remember? PATRICK ROY: For sure. I said to Ray that night I said you might make them move the play of the Playoffs. Just after that we scored and they had to go and review it, if you remember, then they disregarded their goal and accepted ours. If it would have been reverse maybe it would have been a different scenario. Q. Did you guys have some really serious meetings after Forsberg went out to try to get a lid back on the team and because you overcame -- best players in the League being out; how did you guys do that? PATRICK ROY: We didn't have any special meeting. That first day when we heard about the news the sad news, I thought we all talked about it and make sure that we remained focused, but I thought the first game against the Blues was a big key for us. Winning that game and showing us that we could win and you know, the guys show a lot of character out there and a lot of will to win. Q. Conn Smythe trophies separated by 15 seasons is pretty impressive. What do you think that says about you and are you proud of that and how do you feel about it? PATRICK ROY: Well, for a little boy from Quebec, I mean I never thought that would happen. Other than playing on ball hockey and stuff like that, but you know, it is not as special to be honest with you that seeing Ray raising that Cup, the in the middle of the ice, see his eyes how excited it was, these are individual honors. They are always fun to get, there is -- don't get me wrong, but there is nothing better than winning. In 1996 Joe won it, and I was a runner-up. This year it was my turn and Joe was probably runner-up. He played very well for us as well. There's 20 guys on this team that could have won that trophy. Q. You don't have a contract for next year yourself, you have said you want to come back to Colorado; has any of that changed? PATRICK ROY: Nothing has changed. I mean, it's not something to be honest with you that I have in my mind right now. A lot of nicer things. End of FastScripts.... |
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