was very impressive against some of the best players in the world. |
We definitely view that as an option, ... We tried to find a solution on a long-term basis and we'll continue to do that again beginning in January. |
We felt we made a good offer and we will continue that process after Jan. 1. |
We now have a quality affiliate to send our younger prospects that is located just 90 minutes away, giving our hockey operations staff the chance to frequently watch these players develop. |
We respect Roberto's abilities and certainly what he's done for the Panthers ... but we couldn't reach an agreement at this time. |
We tried a lot of different scenarios. We just couldn't find the middle ground in this particular case, so this is a good way of facilitating a contract for Roberto and we're excited about the fact he will be under contract and will be playing for us in the fall. |
We're going to be aggressive trying to get him signed. |
We've got to build as a team and come together, ... We've got to be competitive every night and embrace the opportunity to deal with all aspects of the game. And right now, I feel good about where the team is at. |
We've talked so much about the potential of our young players, ... This will make the team a better team. |
You fall back on your experiences, ... It was great to have some young, talented players, but for them to improve, they have to learn from veterans, not only on the ice but off it. Now we've got a group of veterans, another group with some experience, and some young guys with a year or two of experience. This is a better mix. |