Thank-you Fans!
NONIS PRESSER
MAY.08.07
Dave Nonis addressed the media for the final time this season and answered several key questions about the team's performance this year, as well as his plans moving into next season.
We've transcribed a few questions, and have cut some key portions of what was a lengthy press conference and posted them as audio and video files.
Here are a few of Nonis' thoughts:
How can the team improve?
“I think there’s a number of areas we can improve on. I think we need to come out of the gates better, for a more prolonged time. Consistency early on was something we didn’t have and I think there’s a lot of reasons for that, including new personnel, new coaching staff… I think a lot of guys had to find their game, so we can definitely work on that. I’m hoping the experiences we went through this post season are experiences that can help us in the future… I think the teams that continue to play have post-season experience. I think there’s only one way to get it; we got a little bit of it this year, and we’ll need to get more of it.”
What is the number one position that management needs to address?
“If we can improve our team in any area, then you look to do it. We’re a 30 team league. Every team is trying to find players to help their team win and very few can say ‘I’m going to go out and get that player, or that position and fill that hole’. It doesn’t happen. We are going to remain patient and we’re going to make sure the moves we make help our team win. And if there isn’t a deal to be made or a free agent to be signed that helps us, then you don’t go chasing.”
Would management be willing to move specific assests to make room for potential off-season signings?
“A quality piece: does that mean someone who costs a lot of money? Or does it mean someone who’s going to help us win? We’ve been told that we couldn’t sign Sami… a lot of people in this room said we wouldn’t be able to sign this player or that player or that we were too close to the cap to operate.
I would prefer not to be that close to the salary cap. It’s not a fun way of going through the year. We’re not going to spend every penny we have… we’re not going to the cap if it doesn’t make sense. If it does? We’ve been very fortunate that our ownership group has been very supportive in trying to improve our team. We’ve been able to spend to the cap and if it makes sense I don’t think there will be a problem doing that again. But I’m not going to tell you we’re going to spend every penny just because it’s available. If it’s not for a player that’s going to help us, we’re not going to spend it.”
Does management hope to re-sign Trevor Linden?
“We’re going to approach it the same way we did last year. I haven’t spoken to Trevor yet, but we’ll go through the process as we did last year and I would expect over the course of the next several weeks we’ll be able to get together and see if something makes sense for both of us.”
Is management concerned about any of the injuries their players have sustained?
“The injured players… we’re not sure where they’re at yet. With some of them, MRI’s have to be done, specialists have to be seen… but there’s nothing that may need to be done that would be serious for anybody. I think if we do have to have some procedures done they’ll be relatively minor and players should be back skating and working out full-tilt in July.”
What are management’s plans for Ryan Kesler?
“Ryan Kesler, could we bring him to arbitration? Yes. But my goal would be to sign Ryan, not to arbitrate with him. I don’t blame Ryan Kesler one bit for having an offer sheet thrust upon him. I think he’s a quality guy, I think we really missed him. I think he’s a player that still has a long way to go in a lot of areas, and he’s willing to do what it takes to get there. My goal would be to sign him and get him focused on getting ready to play.
I feel bad for the way the year ended for him. I think he did a lot of hard work to come back and play quickly, quicker than anyone else had really come back from that injury and to have the second injury that first game back was devastating for him and for us. He’s a quality guy and I want to get him done.”
End of presser.
VIGNEAULT PRESSER
MAY.08.07
Alain Vigneault addressed the media for the final time this season and answered several key questions about the team's performance this year, as well as his plans moving into next season.
We've transcribed a few questions, and have cut some key portions of what was a lengthy press conference and posted them as audio and video files.
Here are a few of Vigneault's thoughts:
As a coach, what can the team do to improve?
“I think if Dave can do two or three deals like he did last year before the draft we’ll be fine.” [Laughter] “I think Dave answered that question properly. If we can improve in any area, we’re definitely going to look at it. We haven’t really sat down, Dave and I, as the season just ended a couple days ago. We’re going to sit down with the rest of the staff here and figure out what we need to do to go forward.”
Does management hope to re-sign Trevor Linden?
“I do think that it’s not up to us to influence him one way or the other. When I talked to Trevor at the end of the year I said to take whatever time he needs to relax and the organization is not going to influence him one way or the other in his decision.”
How satisfied was the coaching staff with the team’s performance?
“Obviously, I think our best performer in the playoffs and the regular season was Louie. That being said, there’s no doubt in my mind that our players wanted to do well. They put it all out there. Some guys had better performances than others… that being said though, we need to find a way to make sure all our team put their A-Game out there during the playoffs. That’s the only way that you can have success. I think with Roberto being the way he is, it’s a great start as far as where we need to start and where we need to go. I think we’re on the right track.”
Are you satisfied with the leadership on this team?
“Well, Markus for me, this year, did a fantastic job as our Captain. His offensive production may’ve slipped a little bit, but his defensive awareness progressed quite a bit. I’m very pleased with the way he conducted himself and his behaviour on and off the ice and the example he set out for his teammates.
Brendan, for me, was very good in the sense that he worked really hard. He got going after Christmas once I think he was healed properly. On the 81st game of the year he hurt himself slightly there, but nothing that should’ve affected his performance significantly. I’m please with him.
In Trevor’s case, I got here last year and I was a Trevor Linden fan, I still am. I had him in Montreal and I’m very please with everything he brought to the table this year and won’t influence him one way or the other on the decision he has to make.”
Which prospects do you see potentially cracking next year’s line-up?
“I think that’s what we need as an organization, is to put some good, young kids into the line-up that make the minimum or close to it, but we’re getting a lot more valuable for our money and we’ve got some of those kids coming up. I think Jannik Hansen has a lot of upside, Edler’s got a lot of upside, Rypien was hurt all year but he’s got a lot of upside. We’ve been talking to Scott Arniel and Mason Raymond over there has been one of their best players.
There’s some good, young kids that are in our organization right now that I think are going to push for jobs in the near future and permit us to have a better team. Their contribution is going to be, hopefully, significant. They might not be there right at the start of the season, but we’re hoping in the near future some of those kids can come in and play.”
End of presser
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