Mike Barnett
Mike Barnett
entire guys hoping quick rules seasons six
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.
expect ice monday
We expect he'll be back on the ice by the weekend, Monday by the latest.
age mix mobility seven style weapons
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.
bird great job philosophy plane playing reflected style talking team wayne
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,
achieving alone attention aware brian confidence deflect entire four front guys hard needed paying positions remarkably scoring seeing style success taking team
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.
best good holding last playing stronger
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.
effort gentleman gretzky problem public side wayne
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.
appear bigger decision demands economics factor factors final length player players protected ruled salary today weigh
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.
bench effect player scoring taking
It can have the same effect on the bench as a player taking it end to end on a scoring rush,
appreciate brian certainly conference defensive ecstatic help incredible involved players playing race satisfied savor strong time
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.
excited retirement seen since
From that day on, I haven't seen him as recharged and excited since he retired.
prop trying
This wasn't anything to with trying to prop up the franchise,
near nowhere work
We're nowhere near where we need to be. We still have a lot of work to do.
captain clearly decision ideally level looked period skill step support
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.