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NHL AWARDS CEREMONYJune 23, 2010Shane DoanLAS VEGAS, NEVADA King Clancy Memorial Trophy Q. Right when you started to speak, they shut off the sound. What did you say up there? SHANE DOAN: It was just an honor to be up there with the way that it was presented with the Army coming in. That was pretty special, and that's with everything that's going on tonight, the whole crowd stops and stands up for those guys because of how much respect they deserve and get. So that was pretty neat. Want to just thank them for coming up and thank everybody. I recognize the reason I get anything is because our team was really good, and everyone looks a little better because of it. Q. Can you talk about how challenging it was to be the leader of this team in this particular year that was so, you know, challenging on multiple levels? SHANE DOAN: Well, seemed at the beginning that it was a little more difficult because there were a lot more questions about what was going on. But as we won it kind of built on top of itself. It was something that I think kind of galvanized the whole group and brought us together, and it made for a really close room. I sure enjoyed it and had a great time. Q. How nice is it that multiple members of the organization have been recognized tonight? Everybody's kind of making jokes about it, even people tonight. It's got to be nice. SHANE DOAN: It is. That's fine. They can make as many jokes. There's next year and we'll take another run at it. I think it's great. I even mentioned it's been a while since we had anything to be involved in the NHL Awards. But it's sure nice to be here. Q. Shane, the word loyalty comes to mind when I think about you and the word loyalty. Can you tell me, maybe now it's like you're rewarded for being loyal and stick to go something and showing some persistence and not taking off? SHANE DOAN: You know what, it was this last summer was a tough summer in the fact that kind of wondering what was going on. I recognized that I don't have a lot of years left of playing at the level that I want to. So there is obviously a little bit of tempting. But the Coyotes have been phenomenal to me. The organization and the people that have been there the whole time with me, there is no way that I was leaving. It was exciting to turn it around. Yeah, it was rewarding this year in the fact that we finished as high as we did. I'm sure people are still skeptical and we hope they are next year and we can add to those same questions. Q. You were hurt in the postseason. Is that even more of a motivating factor? SHANE DOAN: Yeah, this summer I waited a long time to get to the playoffs and to then be sitting on the sideline watching my team play I was as frustrated as I've ever been in hockey. But it just drives you for this coming summer, and I can't wait to start again, which is kind of you think that the season lasts a little long, but you can't wait for it to go again. You want to prove all the questions that everyone's going to have about whether or not we can do it again. Q. What does winning this award mean to you personally as the captain of the team? SHANE DOAN: I recognize the fact that the reason that I won the award is because our team was good. I mean, you look at our teammates and everything that they did, and they made it pretty easy as a captain. But it's a great honor, and I accepted it on the fact that we had great leadership in the room, and I totally recognize it's a team thing more than an individual thing. Q. Having said that, was this probably the most challenging year to be the captain in your years as the captain? SHANE DOAN: It was initially, but as the year went on it became easy. As we won more, it seemed like it's a lot easier to keep the morale up of the guys and talk to the guys and encourage them. Maybe point things out that could be done differently at times when you're winning, because when you're losing, no one wants to listen as well. Q. What was the most rewarding aspect for you individually and as a team last season? SHANE DOAN: I think the fact that we were challenging to San Jose at the end of the year when everyone had kind of -- we were doing okay, and people said that we'd hit a wall at some point. Then at the end of the year we picked it up and were better in the last 15 to 20 games of the year. I think for me personally I had been on teams that we'd been right there and then fallen off. This year as a team to take it to another level and keep going, we were only three points behind San Jose to catch them in our division. They've obviously got a great team, but, again, next year you want playoff success more than anything. Q. Dave Tippett won the Jack Adams Award. Can you comment on that? SHANE DOAN: I might have walked out if he didn't. He's unbelievable for us. You know you can say everything about him, I have nothing but incredible remarks about Tipp, and him as a person, him as a coach, everything. He was incredible for us. Q. He reflecting on the season, how impressive was it to have a guy come in so late and have the success he did? SHANE DOAN: I think that Tipp kind of mentioned to the fact that Ulf Samuelsson did a tremendous job preparing us to go into training camp. Without that, it might have been a hard transition. But Ulf stepped in and set this is what's happened, this is what's going on, and to enjoy the fact that we got a challenge ahead of us. He eliminated any excuses. Because of that, I think it made it easier for Tipp. But at the same time, when Tipp came in, he established what he wanted and it was great. Q. No one around the league enjoys the warm-up as much as you did? SHANE DOAN: I enjoy it. You can get a little emotional. I can't wait to get a chance to play in the playoffs again, and I enjoy every bit of the game. The game is phenomenal. It's a great sport, and I love it. Q. Can you share with us what you did over the last four games when you weren't playing to be the captain of the team? SHANE DOAN: I mean, we've heard from some of the other guys that you were still around? Q. Yeah, the first game I wasn't in the room. And then a couple of the guys which meant so much to me came to me and were like we want you in the room between periods, we want you in the room before games, which was phenomenal for me. I mean, it was huge. I appreciated it so much because I wanted to be a part of it, and the rest of the time I sat there and kind of felt sorry for myself. End of FastScripts |
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