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NHL WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: BLACKHAWKS v SHARKSMay 15, 2010Dany HeatleyPatrick MarleauSAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA: Practice Day SCHULYER BAEHMAN: Questions for Patrick and Dany. Q. For an Olympic-themed story on the 14 guys in the series that were all in Vancouver. It seems to have spurred the players on both teams to have a good stretch run. DANY HEATLEY: Yeah, I think obviously I think we learned a lot, the guys on this team that were part of that tournament. Obviously had a good tournament. As far as the fatigue factor, you know, I think Todd knew this was coming, the possibility we were going to have a lot of guys all through the years, done a pretty good job of getting days off before the break, and even after the break. PATRICK MARLEAU: I don't know. The confidence that you get from winning something like that, being part of it, I think it's huge, and you try to bring it back to your club, your NHL team, maybe try and continue it and maybe pass some of it on. Q. You made some friends there. They're the enemy tomorrow. What's that like to have shared that and now wanting to beat them? PATRICK MARLEAU: Yeah, I think it's kind of like what we were doing at the Olympics, too, playing against your own teammates. As soon as that puck drops, you want to win and you want to compete. You're on different teams. So that's the way it is. DANY HEATLEY: Yeah, if you've been around a few years, you played a lot of different guys, played against a lot of different guys. Hockey is one of those games where everybody respects you're trying to win, do your job. Like he said, once the puck drops, all you're trying to do is win the game. Q. Patrick, what do you remember about 2004, and how are you a different player from those Western Conference finals back then? PATRICK MARLEAU: Well, I think the biggest change from them to now is the rule changes, if you can remember those playoffs. They were pretty physical, a lot of hooking, holding. But I think over the years, now you appreciate how long it does take to get there and how hard it is to get there. You have to take advantage of the opportunity when it presents itself, being this year. Q. Patty, Joe Thornton up here was pretty loose. You seem pretty loose in the locker room. Is that the mood right now? Do you want to be loose or is there some focus coming in right now, too? PATRICK MARLEAU: Uhm, I think, you know, having the days off, it's a chance to relax. But definitely things -- we'll start gearing up for tomorrow. You know, I wasn't on the first game last series, but the guys came out hard. It was a big focus to start the series off right with that Game 1. I think we'll talk about that again tomorrow before the game, how we want to come out and get our game going right away. Q. Patrick, knowing Doug Wilson as well as I do from over the years in Chicago, how important is it for you to be a part of this thing now and to see the way this has developed? Rather than blowing up everything at certain times when everybody was calling for everybody's heads, how important is it when you have a piece like Dany, have appreciation that the organization is showing the faith they've had in the players here? PATRICK MARLEAU: I think it's huge, obviously, to show the faith in the players, in the core guys, not to blow up a team, absolutely add things they felt were missing, you know, bringing in role players. Obviously, getting a star player like Dany doesn't hurt. It just shows a lot of faith in the players that they brought in and a lot of confidence in them. Q. Dany, you have seven and eight over in the other conference, one and two here, lots of stars. The fact that this is the marquee series, is that a good thing for you to have the attention? Does it mean anything to have all this focus put on this series? DANY HEATLEY: I think everyone wanted to see that. You always want to see 1-2, in my opinion. But, you know, you get down to the final four teams, there's hockey every night. You're gonna be a marquee series no matter what. The focus is going to be on that series a lot in the east as well and us in the west obviously. That really doesn't change for us. We're just anxious to get going and focus on Chicago. Q. Your first year here in San Jose, when you got here, playoffs past for this team, this team breaking through this year. Any parallels from your days in Ottawa? That was a team that had a lot of talent. They wouldn't go quite as far as people thought they should. You brought them to the '07 final. Do you see any parallels? DANY HEATLEY: Obviously every team is different. From the day I got here, you could tell there was a real focus in this room, a real drive to get through the season and get to the playoffs after the last season. You know, this is a pretty loose room. Yeah, it is here and there, but I've seen this team, when we get to the rink tomorrow, it will be all business. The practices, when we get on this ice, it's business. That's what I've seen from this team all year round. As far as comparison, I don't know. You need everyone. I think you've seen a lot of guys contribute so far in this run and that's been a real key for us. Q. Pat, between the time off and the noon start, are you just unsure of what your routine will be between now and then or is it because it's the Conference Finals, doesn't matter, you're ready? PATRICK MARLEAU: We've had a few afternoon games. You do your normal routine. It's just at different times. You don't really think too much about it. It's game time, so... Q. Patty, asked McLellan, these guys played in front of 35 million in Canada. Not too much pressure than that. Does it point to you big guys are the ones that have to lead the team in such a huge series? PATRICK MARLEAU: Like Dany said, there's different people stepping up at different times, and that's what it takes to win. Everybody wants to contribute in certain ways at key times. I think you'll see that again. I think obviously we'd like to do what we're used to doing. Pav's line is going to contribute as well. We have other guys that are going to chip in. But everybody has to play a good role defensively as well. There's a lot of different things away from the puck that we need to do well, that maybe not a lot of people will recognize. SCHULYER BAEHMAN: Thanks a lot, guys. End of FastScripts |
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