Going to see him in the hospital made you realize just what's important in life. Things are a lot bigger than the game. It's good to see he does have an eye left and can live a normal life. It's not going to end. |
He's a true professional at his power-center game. It doesn't matter where you put him, who you put him with, he always delivers the same thing, and he's a true presence in the locker room. He really gets the guys going. |
I think it was important not to go into the break with a losing feeling. You don't want that marinating in your team. |
It feels a little bit different. This is what I imagine it would feel like in front of an NHL crowd. |
It helps a lot when he has a smile on his face and good mood. It's great to see he's doing well as a human being, even if hockey isn't there for him. It's really a feather in his cap, his ability to kind of move on and realize that maybe hockey wasn't the thing he was meant to do in life. |
That niche is a lot bigger now in the pro game. Strength is always going to be the big thing, the question mark. |
There was a fork in the road, right there. You can say 'This is too tough, I'm ready for a break,' or dig down deep. |
We're going to miss him, for sure. We're thin as it is. We're going to have to find a way to get goals, to get pucks to the net. |