Mike Barnett Quotations

We have a really good team. We're stronger than ever, a lot stronger than we were last year. We're playing the best we can and we're holding our own.

Now we're really seeing even the byproduct of the style that he's comfortable with and the confidence that comes from winning. We're achieving the success as a team that comes from 23 guys paying attention to team defense. We're not taking anything from what Brian has remarkably been able to accomplish, because it's extraordinarily hard to get a shutout, period, let alone to think of four in a row. But it really is an entire roster sacrificing anything and everything needed to get in front of pucks or deflect pucks or controlling positions defensively to be aware of taking away scoring opportunities.

On the plane home, Wayne went to great lengths talking about how great a job Bird was doing, and about how the team was playing a style that reflected his own philosophy as a player,

From that day on, I haven't seen him as recharged and excited since he retired.

He was drinking, but we don't know if he was drunk.

This wasn't anything to with trying to prop up the franchise,

We're nowhere near where we need to be. We still have a lot of work to do.

What you look for in a captain is pretty obvious. You look for someone who's been with the organization for a period of time, who has the durability to be in your lineup each and every night, who has the skill level to back up their comments, ideally with ruggedness to step up and support his teammates. We looked at all those things, and clearly the decision was unanimous.

What you look for in a captain is pretty obvious, ... You look for someone who's been with the organization for a period of time, who has the durability to be in your lineup each and every night, who has the skill level to back up their comments, ideally with ruggedness to step up and support his teammates. We looked at all those things, and clearly the decision was unanimous.

He's already showing an amazing attention to detail. I went out and spent two days with him when he was making his final decision, and by the end of the second day as a I was leaving he showed me a copy of our schedule, and he'd already penciled in all the practice times and team flight times for the entire year.

He's already showing an amazing attention to detail, ... I went out and spent two days with him when he was making his final decision, and by the end of the second day as a I was leaving he showed me a copy of our schedule, and he'd already penciled in all the practice times and team flight times for the entire year.

He's going to be a star at Carmel right away and there's going to be a buzz as soon as he walks through the door.

He was such a cerebral player with an ability to dissect the opposing team, pinpoint its weakness and then exploit it. To me, this is an opportunity to get an insight into that mind.

It can have the same effect on the bench as a player taking it end to end on a scoring rush,

It certainly is something that I think over time the 23 players involved will come to savor and appreciate more than in the present, ... We're in an incredible divisional and conference race and they are ecstatic that they are able to help Brian make this long-standing mark. But they are more satisfied that they are out playing consistently strong defensive hockey.

Our players, if the effort isn't there, will see a much different side to Wayne Gretzky than the gentleman the public knows. He'll have no problem doing that.

Many factors weigh into the final decision as to which players appear on the protected list. Economics today are a bigger factor than ever before. The desirability of any player is ruled by the salary he demands and the length of his contract.

Most of the big, physical defensemen in the league are capable of punishing an opponent along the wall, ... The good ones hit with balance and don't overextend themselves . . . . But of the many solid defensemen in the NHL that do that on a nightly basis, there's probably only 10 percent that actively look for open-ice hits because there's a lot more potential to get burned if you don't seize the right opportunity and, secondly, execute. Gauthier's one of those players.

While we respect the decision Brett has made today, we regret seeing him go,

Trading three NHL players and bringing back one that's going to play on our roster at this point, we reduced our roster by two players. We're now down to 23 active players with two on IR. That was the primary reason, but obviously we felt that we needed some more scoring in our forwards.

We like the mix of the seven we have now. Some of their weapons are their mobility and their skill, and in the others, it's their physicality. They're not all the same style or the same age or of the same background.

We expect he'll be back on the ice by the weekend, Monday by the latest.

Doan seized upon the opportunity. The ideal situation is when you have a captain who not only takes on the off-ice leadership role seriously as he has, but backs it up each and every night on the ice. And he and our two goaltenders have been our best players all year long. The accountability they have to each other is really something big that is building every week, and it's critical if you are going to have any team success.

Doan seized upon the opportunity, ... The ideal situation is when you have a captain who not only takes on the off-ice leadership role seriously as he has, but backs it up each and every night on the ice. And he and our two goaltenders have been our best players all year long. The accountability they have to each other is really something big that is building every week, and it's critical if you are going to have any team success.

I spoke with Wayne Gretzky last night. There's obviously speculation that he will step in and be our head coach. I know he's still very interested in the position.

That type of injury at that position is one you don't even think about hurrying along.

You're bouncing around way too good out there.

There was never any doubt that we wanted Brian back in the fold. We feel confident that Brian can play an important and leading role in seeing us become a bona fide playoff club.

There isn't a better goaltender in the game right now. Period. And from my perspective, there hasn't been for the past two years. He's just very, very comfortable with his game and now he's getting the help from our blue line to cut down on the traffic and to let him see the puck as often as possible.

There isn't a better goaltender in the game right now, ... Period. And from my perspective, there hasn't been for the past two years. He's just very, very comfortable with his game and now he's getting the help from our blue line to cut down on the traffic and to let him see the puck as often as possible.

They both welcome the competition for minutes and don't expect to have anything handed to them.

He's one of the quick guys in the entire sport. Six 30-goal seasons and two 40-goal seasons, and with the new rules we're hoping that he can get to being a 30-goal scorer here.

I can only say that he's a great professional on and off the ice. He's a class act in the community and an aggressive and fierce competitor on the ice, and we wish him the very best in the future. I think all three of them will help Columbus.