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NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: RANGERS v CANADIENSMay 17, 2014Marc BergevinMONTREAL, QUEBEC: Game One Q. What have your emotions been this past week with the fans? MARC BERGEVIN: I'm an emotional person. I'm trying to‑‑ I mean, it's all about the players. That's who won those two series. We are where we are today because of them. But obviously, it's hard to hide for me when I'm in the building. Even though I try, you guys find a way to find where I'm at. So when we beat the Bruins, it was emotional. I mean, I was so proud because of the sacrifice they made as a team, as a group. We beat the best team in the NHL, and it's all because of them. I was so happy for them. Just my emotions came out. Q. You mentioned character just now about the players that you acquired. How did you have any sense at all that there was character in Dale Weise the way he was being treated in Vancouver, and the difficulty he was having finding ice in Vancouver? MARC BERGEVIN: That's a good question, but for me it was easy to see. You could just watch the player play when he does play and you see the character. Same thing with Mike Weaver. You watch, and you know there is no doubt in our mind that these two guys were character players. Again, there are players that when we talk as a group we have a few things that we believe in, and there are players that get you in, and there are players that get you through. These guys they help get you through. So we are here today, and they're a big part of it. Q. One of the first things you did, or the first thing I guess you did when you got the job was to hire Michel as your coach. It wasn't a unanimous decision in Montreal. It drew some criticism, and he's drawn some criticism as a coach. What's it been like to watch him navigate this run and really shine at this time? MARC BERGEVIN: Well, when you're in my position, you make decisions sometimes that are not going to be popular, and I'm not about to make decisions to make people happy. I'm making a hockey decision based on what I believe and what I know. There are times it won't be popular, but that's just the way it is. If I'm here to please people, I have the wrong job. It's all based on our decision. And Michel Therrien is a good coach today and he was six months ago, and he was a good coach in the last five in a row. That's just the way it is. Michel and I have a good relation. We talk a lot. We share ideas, and we are where we are today and the way he handles the team now. But he's a really good coach, and he's proving it now. Q. Are you worried that this is going to drive up prices, for example, for Markov or Subban? MARC BERGEVIN: Maybe because I said it in French, now I'll say it in English. We're going to live the moment now. Q. I understand. MARC BERGEVIN: I know. Q. You're coming off a really difficult and emotional series, a 17‑win (Indiscernible). Are you a little worried about their emotional level that they can keep it going? MARC BERGEVIN: Yeah, that is a good point. It was an emotional series against the Bruins. But you look at the New York Rangers. They were down 3‑1 against a top team in the league, the Penguins. They won 7 against Philly. That is a very good hockey team over there. Respect for the Rangers. They didn't get here by a fluke. Our guys know we're playing a very good hockey team right there, and they want the same thing as we do. So the emotion is (Indiscernible) there today. I believe our guys are ready for this series because we're aware of the challenge ahead of us. Q. Yesterday Peter Chiarelli suggested that he might need to make some personnel decisions to make the Boston Bruins a little more similar to the Montreal Canadiens in terms of speed and the style of game that you're playing. Does that further validate what you're building with this club in light of the whole respect issue which became a big talking point in the final two games of the last series? MARC BERGEVIN: First of all, Peter Chiarelli is a very good general manager. I believe he's one of the top in the league, and he won a Stanley Cup. I think I should take advice from Peter and not Peter from me. It was a tough series. It was a seven‑game, as you all know. And when you talk about a Game 7, and I believe that it could go either way. We came out with one of our best efforts in 6 and 7. But still sitting here today, I think the Boston Bruins are a very, very good, top team in the league. So Peter will do what he needs to do, but to me it doesn't change my view of the Boston Bruins. They're an elite team in the league still today. Q. You're from here, you grew up here, you understand this market. Can you put into words what this means for a chance to go to the Stanley Cup for the Montreal Canadiens? And can you put it into words what it's like for you as the general manager, watching this team, living and dying with this team with a chance to go to the Stanley Cup? MARC BERGEVIN: First of all, I was born and raised about a mile from here. From my office, I can see the church where I used to play hockey in my parish, but it's special. I left 28 years ago before I came back in May. I didn't know. I mean, I shouldn't say I didn't know. I mean, I knew how big it was, but you can add another layer now. The passion in this city and the Province of Quebec is off the charts. It's something special that it's hard for me to describe. But again, you're talking about the Stanley Cup Final. We have a tough team playing over there, and that is the message that we're telling our players and it's the New York Rangers. So I don't want to get ahead of ourselves. Where we are today, we're just only halfway there. So these guys are standing in our way and we'll do our best to move on after. Q. What surprised you about coming back? What surprised you about the passion or what have you seen? MARC BERGEVIN: Well, they live and breathe hockey. This is what it's all about. Coming from Chicago, you've got the White Sox, the Cubs, the Bears, the Bulls. This is all in one. It is their team. They love their team. I mean, there are 20,000 people on Wednesday, and there is not one player on the ice. So I don't know many buildings in the league that can do that. Q. I don't know if you're aware, but yesterday your friend Mario Lemieux had an interview in Pittsburg after firing his GM and mentioned your team specifically as a team that he would like his new GM to form his team around or use as a model. As someone who looks at him as a friend, I'm wondering how that makes you feel? MARC BERGEVIN: I feel very good. Not only is he my friend, but he's one of the greatest players that ever played the game. I didn't know about that. I knew they fired Ray Shero, but I didn't know he mentioned that. Being a GM is tough. You're hired to be fired. One day it will be my turn. That's the way it is. Ray, I think, did a very good job in Pittsburgh. It didn't work out and they made a decision, but just the fact that Mario said that, yeah. I don't have a magic recipe. I'm no genius. Just we have things that we believe, and there are times that we make mistake. Nobody hits a thousand all the time. But right now as a group we gel well and we're getting results. But I say thanks to Mario anyway. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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