|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
NHL DRAFTJune 30, 2013Rasmus RistolainenEAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY Q. What were you feeling up there? RASMUS RISTOLAINEN: I feel actually great. I didn't expect that I'd go this early. I thought maybe I'd go after 10 or something. Q. Did you have any conversations with them? RASMUS RISTOLAINEN: Yeah, actually like the whole season I had a couple of conversations with Buffalo. Q. Describe what kind of player you are. RASMUS RISTOLAINEN: I'm a two‑way defenseman, best part is the offensive side. I have a good shot. I play very physically. I can help the team on power play and PK, also. Q. What do you think you said in the meetings with Buffalo that made them pick you today? RASMUS RISTOLAINEN: Actually I told them who I am and I can help the team and tell what kind of person I am. Q. Do you expect to play in the NHL this coming season? RASMUS RISTOLAINEN: Yeah, I think that's my goal, to play next year in the NHL. Q. Physically you feel you're ready? RASMUS RISTOLAINEN: Yeah, I think so. Q. Did you talk to Armia much about Buffalo? RASMUS RISTOLAINEN: Yeah, actually Armia is a good friend for me, and actually I haven't talked to him in a couple weeks. We played last year at World Juniors together, so there I talked to him, and he talked like Buffalo is a very good place and a very nice city. Q. How significant is it for you to have a little bit of familiarity with having some of the things he's told you about Buffalo? Did you learn much from him about the organization? RASMUS RISTOLAINEN: Actually he told me only a couple things, so actually I don't know what there is happening, but we'll see what's happening after this draft. Q. What's the biggest thing you need to do to play in the NHL this year? RASMUS RISTOLAINEN: Well, like work everything, every part, because like two‑way defenseman have to do everything well, like every situation. Q. Are you familiar with the Sabres as a team? Do you know any of the players? RASMUS RISTOLAINEN: Yeah, sure, I watch a lot of NHL, so I can say that I knew like all players in Buffalo. Q. Is there a player in the NHL that you model your game after or anything like that? RASMUS RISTOLAINEN: Yeah, I try to play like Shea Weber. He's like my idol. He's a big leader on the ice, play physical, have a good shot. Q. (Inaudible). RASMUS RISTOLAINEN: Yeah, I think it's helped me a lot because Liiga‑SM league and the NHL are not the same, but I think it's going to help me. Q. You played a lot of minutes, too, 21 minutes a game? RASMUS RISTOLAINEN: Yeah, I think I played like 22, 25 minutes last season in every game. Q. How much does that help you, that much ice time, that much experience, so many different situations on the ice? RASMUS RISTOLAINEN: Yeah, it helped me a lot, and if I get a lot of ice time then coach trust me and he can put me on the ice and I can be a better player if I'm a lot of on the ice. Q. What was your reaction when Buffalo picked you? Did you have an idea it might be Buffalo? RASMUS RISTOLAINEN: Actually no. I don't know what I'm thinking when I heard my name, but it feels awesome. Q. When you were looking at the draft and it was getting to be seven and eight, were you thinking Buffalo? Were you thinking other teams that were nine, 10, 11? RASMUS RISTOLAINEN: I think maybe after 10, 15, somewhere in there. That was a good surprise for me. Q. What do you know about Buffalo? RASMUS RISTOLAINEN: I know the team, players, a little bit city. Q. How much is it going to be good for you to have a chance to go on a team that's rebuilding and probably wants to go with a lot of younger players? RASMUS RISTOLAINEN: Yeah, I think it's good. It's maybe easier to get a spot on the team if they are rebuilding that, so I think it's good. Q. You obviously use your size to your advantage. RASMUS RISTOLAINEN: Yeah, I think I use my size very well. I win the battles to use my physical size. Q. What is it about Finnish defensemen the last few years? It seems like there's more than in the past. They've always had great forwards, but it seems like there's a lot of defensemen, as well. RASMUS RISTOLAINEN: Yeah, sure, they are all like in my age, so we have good coaches in Finland, and when we get to the team and we can play, like a lot of ice time, it always helps us a lot. Q. Getting so much ice time at a young age, what was that like? RASMUS RISTOLAINEN: Yeah, I think it's good for me, and it shows that the coach can trust me and put me on the ice, and still, there is older players, but still I can be on the ice, so that's good for me. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|