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NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: FLAMES v LIGHTNING

June 2, 2004

John Tortorella

TAMPA, FLORIDA: Practice Day

Q. Lecavalier's status?
COACH TORTORELLA: Excuse me?
Q. What is Lecavalier's status for the next game?
COACH TORTORELLA: I am not going to discuss the injuries here.
Q. Can you comment on the length of the suspension, do you think that was adequate for the consequences?
COACH TORTORELLA: I have no comment.
Q. You discussed really before the Philly series about your team's mental toughness being part of your team. Toughness, how important has that been to not kind of take retaliatory penalties to try and get even with some of the stuff?
COACH TORTORELLA: That's a key in Playoffs, is your composure your discipline, staying within your team concept and fighting through and we're going to continue to do that.
Q. Can you talk about a little bit about the just the turnaround in Nikolai. Last year during the Playoffs, you had to replace him for the final game. It was very difficult thing for him and he really seems to have elevated his game in crunch time now.
COACH TORTORELLA: Oh, he's a pro. Coaches make decisions and all the decisions that we make as a coaching staff is what is best for the hockey team. Sometimes players don't like it. But Nik is a pro. He's a world class goalie. We won't be here if he hasn't done the things he's needed to do this year.
Q. Talking to your players the last couple of days, they are not happy with the way the team is playing right now. Is it a question of Calgary is doing things well or your team not executing like they are supposed to?
COACH TORTORELLA: No, we need to -- we're going to continue to try to get better executing our game. Not to be concerned about what is going on around us with the other team, just concentrating on our game. I thought at times in Game 4 we did some good things, but as each day goes by and as the series now is down with three left, a possible three left, you just need to focus in on what you are doing and try to get better each day.
Q. You said you weren't going to comment specifically on the length of the suspension, but can you comment in general about the number of head injuries that we have seen so far in the Finals?
COACH TORTORELLA: No. No. Nope.
Q. Would you talk about Vince Lecavalier's, I guess, maturation through these Playoffs. Are you seeing a different player than you saw earlier in the regular season?
COACH TORTORELLA: Yeah. He continues to grow. You have seen him. You are here, and from the time I have been fortunate enough to be here now four years as a head coach and to watch him grow and understand the game, it's fun. That's what coaches want to see, I guess I enjoy seeing a player buying into a team concept, growing up, becoming a man and doing the things not only with the puck but away from the puck, and to make himself a better player. Vinny is at the top of that list. From three years ago 'til now, we're seeing a totally different man. I think some of the other young core of our team is coming along in the same way. I think that's why we have the opportunity to be talking today. So it's good stuff.
Q. Despite winning Game 4, would you agree that if you wanted to improve every game, one area you could improve upon was not allow the Flames so many scoring opportunities in that middle area, is that one area you want to shore up?
COACH TORTORELLA: Yeah, well, I think we want to shore up some of the turnovers we had in the neutral zone. I think that's what Calgary and most teams feast on, is if you are not clean getting the puck in or making plays through that neutral zone, their quickness and their players have, during that Game 3, at times created quite a few chances. So again, through -- I don't want to -- as a coach you are always trying to improve on everything within your game. Scoring chances for and against is a thing we're always looking at, obviously, and we need to improve there. But during parts of that game I thought we played a really good first period. I thought we were really falling a little bit in that second period. We're not going to dwell on it. We're getting ready for Game 5.
Q. Jason Cullimore has bounced around, placed on waivers on numerous occasions in his career even when he was here in Tampa Bay. Up until you arrived here, he was pretty much just a spare part. What did you and do you like in his game?
COACH TORTORELLA: Jason, got the hell kicked out of him with this organization here, and I think what is happening, he was given an opportunity, very similar to Marty, I know it's a different type of circumstance. But once the player gets an opportunity, no one else does anything for them. They are the ones that have to take the opportunity and go with it. That's what Culli has done. Before his injury, he was one of our top defensemen and he's a warrior. He's improved his game, I think he's improved simplifying his game and really working on competing defensively. And so, you know, it's funny how one coaching staff sees one thing and another coaching staff sees another and that certain player gets an opportunity with one of them. But the player has to seize it and go with it. That's what Culli has done here, and has been a major piece to the puzzle here as far as when we have grown the past three years.
Q. You have talked about the maturation process with Vinny. Have you seen things in the last two weeks that you didn't know existed that you have been able to tap into?
COACH TORTORELLA: Oh, we know they exist. We know they exist. And that's something that you guys tend to dwell on that we're criticizing. We, as coaches, as part of a coaching fraternity, it's not criticizing. It's challenging people and trying to get it out of them. When you are with a young man, as we have been with for quite a few years with Vinny, we know what is there and there's more. That's the exciting part about it. It presents the situation where it's our job to try to get the most out of him, and you go through some bumps as you go through this. But as you go through and players and coaches begin to understand one another, it becomes a process. That's what Vinny is going through. He isn't finished yet. That's the good news about this, there's more there.
Q. Did you say what has been the most enjoyable part of this experience for you through the Playoffs?
COACH TORTORELLA: Nothing enjoyable. This is just enjoyable for me right here being with you guys.
(LAUGHTER).
Q. We're having a great time.
COACH TORTORELLA: I am sure you guys are having a great time with me too.
I don't look at the word "enjoy." I still think, as we talked about the first time we met when the Finals started, I think it's a great experience for the coaches, but more importantly for our players. It's about them and it's a tremendous process that we continue to go through as you now get into towards the end of this series coming up here with three games left. So enjoy, I don't think is the word. I think it's having the opportunity. We are very fortunate to have the opportunity. We deserve to be here. Calgary deserves to be here. And have the opportunity to go through the process.
Q. You have talked about in the Playoffs just the other night in Game 4 about guys stepping in. Talk about the job Pratt has done during the Playoffs.
COACH TORTORELLA: He's -- we haven't missed a beat when Jason went down and Pratt stepped in, and he's done it all year long. He's done it for the past couple of years. We haven't missed a beat. He understands his role when he has been out. He's not happy about it, but he keeps himself ready. I think that has been a key as far as when we have gone through a few of these series here and now in the Finals is the play of Nolan Pratt. And also the intangibles that he brings in that room, how much respect that he deserves to get and is getting from his players and how he's handled his situation as being a depth guy. A guy more or less told him last summer, go find another job, and he has come back in. He hasn't been happy when he's not playing but has simply kept himself ready to play and try to help his team win. That goes just a ton of distance in that locker room before he even steps on the ice, how much respect he's getting from his teammates.
Q. Earlier Colin Campbell said he discussed with Jay Feaster the physical state of Vinny. Did you have any input into that conversation? Were you allowed into the preliminary discussions in any way?
COACH TORTORELLA: I don't get into discussions. The only discussion I am involved in, Jimmy, is getting ready for Game 5.
Q. You have been an advocate of players policing the game and letting them take care of the problems that are on the ice. In a Stanley Cup Finals like this, are you finding that it's difficult for the players to do that and is that the result of seeing some things that may be going across the line?
COACH TORTORELLA: I have no comment.
Q. The other night by necessity you had to juggle your lineup up front. Brad Richards started up on left side, which was different for him, could you talk about that. And Darryl Sydor moved from the left side to the right side, and he said for him that was quite an adjustment. It was like driving in England on the opposite side of the road throughout the game for him. The process you went through to make those decisions and how they fared for you?
COACH TORTORELLA: With Syd it's necessity. We had a guy out and Syd has, I know not a whole lot, but played a little bit on the other side and Syd has been there before and he's able mentally and physically ready to make an adjustment like that. Again, Paul, this is the Finals. What you have is what you have and you have to try to make it work. Playing out of position on the other side, playing left wing, right wing, center, it's just a matter of trying to get it done. I think that's what Syd goes into as far as a mindset. I thought he played very well. Line combinations, we try to do different things. We're trying to create some offense and whether it will be the same tomorrow night, I don't know.
Q. Is there any chance that we'll see Vinny growing and mature as a hockey player in practice today?
COACH TORTORELLA: Everyday, Bob, there's maturity. That maturity goes on, a whole process that goes through each day.
Q. Will we be able to see him in practice today maturing and growing?
COACH TORTORELLA: What are you asking me?
Q. Is he practicing today?
COACH TORTORELLA: Yes, he is.
Q. Is Pavel Kubina practicing?
COACH TORTORELLA: Kuby? Why don't you guys just wait for another half hour and you don't have to ask me these questions. Just watch our practice. It will be a lot easier.

End of FastScripts...

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