He wasn't ready. He was sweeping the ice away. What are you going to do? This is the new NHL.
He was happier on that side and as a result, he was exceptional in practice (Wednesday). He likes the left a lot more because he thinks it helps his confidence and speed.
It was nice not to have an absolute nail-biter for a change.
My opinion is that this (game) is a good wake-up call. We weren't prepared to pay the price (tonight).
It's quality of life. The players already know the building is full, the building is loud, the fans are knowledgeable, the organization is committed to winning and the practice facility is second to none. Players talk about that stuff all the time.
We weren't prepared to pay the price to win the hockey game at the start and when you give a team like Toronto a sniff, they're going to make you pay a price.
You can see it in our body language. You can see it in practice and in the games.
Whenever there's something in the stomach, you get nervous but I've been assured it's nothing. I'm still going to be nervous until Peter is back on the ice playing pain-free.
It was a great start. All four lines contributed. We are getting better every day now. You can see it in the practices and you can see it in the game. We are getting healthier and we have some continuity on lines.
We had nine first-year players against Montreal. We practiced with 15 players today. Everybody knows our situation. We're limping. Still, we're only one point out of first place.
Beating people one-on-one, getting to loose pucks, those are all the things you lose if you get this much time off. And that's why we're scrimmaging at practice. We're having little games inside of the practice themselves.
They pushed the level out there. It's not about whether we can keep up. We don't have a choice.
As a coach, I?d rather he be down there playing then up here sitting. In a perfect world, he would practice with us and play with the Phantoms, but that?s unfair to the Phantoms.
We've got to take care of business inside our division. For us right now, getting home ice advantage in the playoffs is critical. We want to get as high up the ladder as we can.
It would be nice to get Peter back, but we can't have doubt in our game.
About 25 percent of your job is coaching the team on the ice and about 75 percent of your job is all of the stuff that happens off the ice, whether it be preparation or putting out fires. I think he's going in with his eyes wide open about that.
Well, put it this way. If he put together five days of practice like he did today and didn't feel any ill effects, then maybe you could start to think along those lines, but it's not something anyone is planning on at this point.
It's a big hit. He's a veteran presence with a big voice in the locker room. He says the right thing at the right time, so probably our two biggest voices (in the locker room) are not in right now.
I will always remember Brett for that goal. He showed his colors. He went on the ice when I told him not to go, and I couldn't get him off. No one is ever going to talk to me about Brett Hull's character. I have seen his character.
I've coached against Peter and he'll take numbers and get even in due time. You won't hear anything about it, until you see a body laid out on the ice and you'll wonder how that happened.
It's not just chasing the New York Rangers, it's also chasing Buffalo. The third or fourth seed is home ice (advantage) and we want home ice because it's going to be that close.