Nichols' Notes
/Keaton Ellerby spoke with The Sun’s Ken Wiebe following the defenseman’s announced one-year, two-way contract with the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday.
The Jets did not qualify Ellerby, so he became a free agent. His new deal pays him a little less at the NHL level than did his last pact.
Wasn’t he tempted to leave after having been set free?
“There’s always temptation. But there’s a good opportunity there. They know me, I know them and in the long run it’s better to stay with a group that you’re comfortable with, guys that you enjoy being around and an organization you think is going the right way. I’m happy to be back. It’s definitely a good fit,” said Ellerby. “Everyone is in it to ultimately get to the same place, to win a Stanley Cup. It’s nothing personal, nothing like that. It’s a business and you learn to roll with the punches. There’s obviously ups-and-downs. You go with it and make the most of it.”
The Province’s Jason Botchford indicates the Vancouver Canucks had a deal in place to trade the No. 24 overall pick in June’s draft to the New York Islanders, but only if Jared McCann wasn’t available. He was, and the Canucks took him.
McCann is already a beauty in the eyes of many Vancouver-area hockey fans.
“I played lacrosse for a bit growing up and I loved cross-checking kids in the face, it was awesome. I do like to piss guys off a bit. That’s fun.” (Via The Vancouver Sun’s Elliott Pap recently)
That quote gained some traction.
“Everyone loved it," McCann said. “I don’t want to be pushed around. If someone is going to stick me, I’m going to give it back.
“I’ve always had a spur in my game. I’m not afraid to do what it takes. It’s the type of game I play and that’s what I’m good at.”
Lars Eller signed a four-year, $14 million pact with the Montreal Canadiens Thursday and, via The Gazette’s Stu Cowan, had a simple answer when asked on which part of his game he still needs to work.
“I think the No. 1 thing for me is consistency. I know when I’m on top of my game there’s not much I want to change. I want to improve every area, but most of all consistency. And I still think there’s something to gain in my offensive part of the game and that’s probably where I can improve the most, but I need to improve every area of my game.”
Flames GM Brad Treliving notes, via The Calgary Herald’s Scott Cruickshank, that Jonas Hiller should be fine. He had an appendicitis attack last week.
“The procedure nowadays . . . they can do it arthroscopically,” said Treliving. “They’re saying within nine to 12 days, you’re up and back to normal. (Hiller’s agent) felt by next week that he’s right back in the swing of things. The hope and the plan and the expectation right now is that there’s no long recovery period.”
The rookie GM also indicated we could see a Sam Bennett signing soon.
“I wouldn’t say there’s urgency; we’ve had some discussions,” said Treliving. “We are going to sign him — whether it’s today or six months from today. But I suspect it’s going to happen sooner rather than later.
“It’s not brain surgery. In a lot of these cases, guys get slotted in (contract-wise), based on draft (position). We’re going to have another discussion (later Thursday). Something could happen here shortly.”
New Ottawa Senators winger Alex Chiasson joined TSN 1200 on Thursday afternoon.
There’s quite a bit of opportunity for players to compete for spots and roles on the team.
“I think that's one of the really key parts when I looked at the trade with me coming here. I think in Dallas I was playing a little bit behind some really good players. Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, Nichushkin, a lot of the guys are good players. I think for me to come here, it’s really a good opportunity to take my game to the next level. I’ve had a really good summer of training. I was just in Toronto these past couple of days here, working... on my skating. I’m really looking forward to September. Just being in a Canadian market where hockey means so much and being close to home for my family... to come and watch. Should be just overall a really good experience and hopefully I can play here for a long time.”
Why the great start last year and how difficult was it when you got sick?
“I think the great start, just knowing I was healthy. A lot of the game, you realize quickly is mental. When you start thinking too much... I was missing blank opportunities that I don’t usually miss and a lot of the things weren’t going my way. But at the same time, like you said, first year you realize this is a game and every night opponents come and they show up. Everyone wants to do well here and you compete for playoffs and that was a big thing in Dallas. The team hasn’t been there in playoffs for awhile and I learned what it is, playoff hockey. That’s huge. When you’re young, you watch and it’s the best part of the season. Hopefully, I know Ottawa’s been – not last year, but a few years before and I want to live that again here. It’s really a great part and I think there’s a lot of learning experiences I learned last year. The traveling and the eating, and how to treat your body. Those rest days, to really take good care of yourself as a young guy. Sometimes you need treatment and you need to take care of yourself more than you need to go watch a movie at the theatre. So I think these are all the little things you learn. I was surrounded by really good people there in Dallas. Stephane Robidas, who’s now part of the Leafs, really took care of me and taught me a lot about the game. The right parts. Really respect the game. I think that’s the type of player I want to become in the next few years. Like I said, I couldn’t be more excited to be part of this organization. Like you said, a young group of guys coming in the next couple of years and I’m really looking forward to that.”
Most of your shots come from close to the goal. How difficult is it to go to those areas and what is it about your game that lets you go there so much?
“I think it’s one part to say it’s difficult, but when it’s rewarding it’s where you want to be. Like you said, I think a lot of my points, my goals have come from 10 feet or... around the net, trying to use my body as much as I can, my reach. Obviously play a lot of times on the power play in front of the net. Sometimes you get pushed around a little bit, but that’s why you try to go in the summer and this is probably one of the biggest things for me, to try to increase my leg strength. These are the areas for me that seem to be successful and if I want to keep that improving it’s things I need to work on.”
It has to give you some confidence knowing the Senators wanted you in the Jason Spezza trade.
“Yeah, for sure. You said it right. He’s been a really good player here. I remember when I was younger watching him. But when you’re part of a trade like that and you’re one of the key pieces of the trade, you’re... like I said, I think there’s an opportunity to come here and be successful, but that’s going to be up to me to come in and show that I can play. I think I’m really looking forward to the next six weeks and put some more time in the gym and on the ice and I think training camp will be an exciting time.”
Vancouver Canucks coach Willie Desjardins phoned in to Team 1040 Thursday morning and hit on a variety of key issues.
How close did you come to signing with Pittsburgh?
“I think there was a chance that could have happened, for sure. I think you always looking at different options. They have a great team, some certainly high-end players. There’s always a chance. That’s a good market.”
You’re in here with fellow rookies in Trevor Linden and Jim Benning. Is there something that drew you with all three of you starting fresh?
“Maybe a little bit, but it wasn’t that we’d be building and that, it was just the fact of getting to work with those guys... I think you always want to build something long-term, but you’re also really short-term in what you want. We want to be a good team. We want to make the playoffs and that’s our focus.”
What kind of hockey can we expect?
“We want to play an up-tempo game. We want to attack. We want to take pucks to the net. We want to compete every night. And every shift, not just every night. Every shift we want to be ready to compete and play hard. We expect that from our players. We expect that we’ll give an honest effort every time we’re on the ice.”
How important was it to you get to get a guy like Ryan Miller in the net?
“That’s such a big plug for us. I think that Eddie Lack’s a really good goaltender. He’s a really good up and coming goaltender, but it’s hard to put a young goaltender in that position where he’s got to take everything. So I think once you get a guy like Ryan Miller that really puts everybody in their right spot and Eddie Lack can develop and at the same time Miller can give us the experienced, No. 1 goaltender we need.”
What are your expectations for the Sedins and where do you seem them fitting in terms of role?
“Well, I think they’re elite players and great character people. I think you always win with your character. I think you win with your leaders. I see them being real key guys on this team. I think that they have great skill. I think they were disappointed with their year last year. They want to come back with a real good year. So I expect them to be elite in the league. I think that’s what they’ve done in the past and I expect them to be there this year as well.”
What kind of contact have you had with your players?
“I’ve had quite a bit. I phoned them all and talked to them. I met with some of them in person. I’m planning on going and meeting with a few more. For me, it’s getting ready for the season. I just want to make sure guys are training and working out and that our conditioning is going to be where it needs to be. We have to be able to win games in the third period because we’re in great condition and we’re just not going to tire out.”
You’ve always been known as a players’ coach. Is that really important for them to buy into your schemes?
“When you say a players’ coach – I just respect my players. I think it takes a lot to play this game. The expectations are high. They’ve got to put forward every night. And I just respect them. I know what they have to prepare and how hard they have to work in the summer to do that, and things don’t always go their way, but we expect them to battle through. I just think that we have a good group in Vancouver. Maybe you always say that about your team, but when I’ve talked to the guys, I really believe that we have a real good mix. We have some great veteran leaders. I think we’ve got some young players that are up and coming that want to prove some things. So I like our team and I’m excited about coaching it.”
How do you fill the hole that’s been left by Ryan Kesler?
“That’s a tough role because he did give you a few different things. He had some size in the middle and is a big power forward. We can’t replace that maybe right away, but maybe we can fill it different ways... Bonino’s a good player, had just as many points, a few more points than Kesler. A guy that’s really excited to be here, wants to do things, will work to fit in. So maybe you don’t quite fill the spot, but maybe you fill it in other ways... Different guys chipping in. Once they get a bigger role, they’re a little more excited about it. So you can’t fill that spot necessarily, but maybe you add the parts around it and make it better.”
If Radim Vrbata plays with the Sedins, where does that leave Alex Burrows?
“He fills a big role. I went and met with Alex, talked to him. He’s a real key part of the team. He brings a lot of passion, a lot of energy to the team. We need that. He wants to win. Like, he’s committed to winning. He said it doesn’t matter if he’s with the Sedins or not. His style maybe changes a little bit when he plays with other guys because he knows the Sedins so well. But he just wants to do whatever he can to help us win. He’s totally committed to that. He’s a real leader on this team. He plays with a lot of energy, so he’s a guy that’ll play a big role in lots of different ways and maybe he can help out younger guys like Kassian. Maybe he can move a guy like that in, get him going. Fill a role on another power play unit or different things. And there’s no saying that he won’t be with the Sedins sometime in the year as well.”
How much pressure will you be putting on Alex Edler to carry that defence?
“I don’t think there’s pressure on him. He’s just got to be Alex Edler. He’s a dominant player. He’s proven that in the past. He’s another guy that’s a great person, that wants to come to the rink, that wants to do well, has a real good fit in Vancouver. So I just expect him to play his best. I just expect him to come to the rink, and play like he can play. If he does that everything just takes care of itself.”
What do you think you can bring out in Zack Kassian’s game that can get him to that next level?
“I think probably the biggest thing he needs is consistency...
“I think a guy like Alex Burrows can help that a lot. If he happens to be playing with him, on the bench, and talking to him; but the biggest key is Zack himself. He wants to be better. He wants to move his game to another level and to do that he probably has to prepare a little better and he probably has to focus a little better in practice. We have to be good every shift and he can’t be an up and down player. I think he has a little bit of a challenge to his game, but that’s what he wants to do. That’s the player he wants to become, so we’ll just help him get there.”
How many of these kids do you think you’ll be able to find room for?
“I think our key is we have to have guys that can play. We have a set number of players, or a set number of spots, and those guys have to be able to win that spot. So if they’re good enough to beat out other guys, then they’ll make the team. We’re playing to win. That’s what we’re here for, that’s how we come to the rink to play, and we’ll go with our best lineup. Hopefully those young guys have a great offseason of training and they’re totally ready. If it’s a tie, then for sure you go with the young guy. That just makes sense because you want to develop and you want to get them in there. But we’ll give them a great look and we’re hoping they’re prepared to have a great year.
Where do you see Linden Vey fitting in?
“Well, he’s another guy that has to prove it. He’s proven it in spurts and when he was up with Los Angeles, in the American League he’s proven it. Now you have to prove it on an everyday basis. You have to come in and show what you can do. Sometimes when you know you might get a longer look that you’re not so worried about making mistakes you play better. Sometimes you don’t. I think he’s a guy we expect him to play. It’s his spot to take. But he has to be ready at training camp and I expect him to be ready.”
When you do pick the young guy over the older guy, that really gives you a chance to put your stamp and really to form and coach that kid, doesn’t it?
“It does, and you want that because it takes a little time to get your style in and what you need to do. You want that opportunity. But at the same time, those veteran guys, they’ve earned their spot too. They’ve got to be treated the way they should. The Sedins have earned their status. They’ve put in their time and they deserve their opportunities. They’ve had a little bit of a slip and they deserve the chance to get it back. So it’s a fine line. But in the end it’s the guy’s that are ready to play that play.”
How tough will it be coming out of the Pacific Division?
“(Laughs) That’s the worst part about going to Vancouver. It’s just such a tough division to come out of. But that’s our job. That’s what we’re hired for. That’s what we want to do. That’s what the fans want. So it’s our job to find a way. Will it be tough? Sure it’ll be tough. But can it be done? Yes it can and that’s what we’re going to focus on and go after.”
David Booth spoke with Sportsnet 590 Thursday morning, discussing his new one-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Do you consider yourself as someone in Mason Raymond’s position last year, where this is the year you need to prove yourself?
“Yeah, absolutely. I think the biggest thing for me is getting in a rhythm and staying there. I’ve battled a few injuries in Vancouver it’s such a tough league when you’re always a step behind. You miss any period of time, you feel like you’re just a half-step and by the time you get back to games it’s so fast and it seems like you’re playing catch-up the rest of the year. But at the end of the season there, after a lot of struggle, I started playing better and felt like I was finding my game again. I’m very excited about the opportunity to, like you said, re-establish my game and prove to myself and everyone else that I’m a great player and I can prove it.”
Looking ahead:
“I thought I was playing really well at the end of the season and I’ve been having an awesome summer of training and something that I’m really looking forward to proving the type of player I can be.”
There’s a glaring hole on the second line left wing slot with Nazem Kadri and Joffrey Lupul. Is that you? Did you talk to management? Are you a top-six guy?
“I don’t really talk to management and say, ‘Oh, I need to play there’ or ‘I want to play here.’ I think that’s something where you come into training camp and you earn that spot. So, whoever it may be, I know there’s a lot of good players on that team and I know lines change throughout the year. Every team I’ve been on, the lines have changed. That is a goal of mine, is to come in an earn that spot. I believe I can do it. It’s going to be tough, but I believe this creates a healthy team where guys are competing and then once the season starts you’re ready to go.”
Is David Booth as passionate about the game as other guys? How would you respond to that?
“That’s honestly funny, just because... when you have another hobby, people think that you’re not dedicated. I think if you’d ask those same guys, the guys that know me close, I would say I’m probably more dedicated than most guys when it comes to being in shape and taking the game seriously. I think I have things that I enjoy, that take my mind away from the game. There’s other guys that like to golf. You know, you don’t see guys condemning them for golfing and saying they’re not dedicated. Just this week, the day starts at 8:00 and I’m done at 2:00, just training, working on specific things. Now that I’ve worked 8:00-2:00 p.m., I think I’m entitled to maybe go to the pool or relax for the rest of the day. You just can’t keep skating from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and then go to bed and do it all over again. The time I put in at the rink and at the gym, I go 100 percent and then I enjoy other things. I think it’s healthy for my career. If I wasn’t passionate about it, I don’t think I’d be playing in this league.”