Derek Morris:
Q: What is this team's collective mindset as you take on your former goaltender?First of all we have to throw a lot of pucks at Bryz. He's known for letting in bad goals, you know, so I think our mindset is going to be get the puck down behind the net and hopefully he comes out and plays a few because he doesn't like to do that.
We have to put some pressure on Bryz. We've gotta make it a tough night, we gotta have guys in front, we've gotta be banging away at rebounds. He gets frustrated that way.
Q: I'm sure there will be some chirping involved, right?That's expected in every game. But it might go to the extreme today.
Q: There is a mental strength that is missing there, right?We're actually glad -- first of all, I'm glad he's gone because the guy we brought in has done a great job and fitted in real well, made our team even closer. There was some animosity there with Bryz sometimes. We don't have that with [Mike Smith] so we have a good group and we're winning games because of it.
Q: On using this game as motivation:It's gonna be great. You know Bryz will be just as prepared. Bryz is one of the best goalies in the game and when he wants to play, one of the best goalies you can have out there. We have a good goalie and a good system and we're going to do what we can to get pucks to the net. I think it's going to be an ugly goal from the side that'll go in on Bryz.
Glad's he gone? Animosity? Wow.
Adrian Aucoin:
Q: I actually used a quote of yours you gave to NHL.com about Mr. Bryzgalov -- it was more about Mike Smith, though, where you said he's more approachable. He's here everyday and I can get to know him as a teammate. Can you take that a little further? What did you mean specifically?We don't always try to win for the right reasons, but anybody who is a professional wants to win no matter what the situation is, who your teammates are, coaches are, how many fans you have there, anything. But it adds to your motivation when you have a good guy back there who you always want to do well for.
Q: Derek Morris just described the relationship between the room and Ilya last year as one with animosity. Is he right?Absolutely. I honestly haven't met almost any hockey player that's a bad person. I think he was different as a player -- obviously he was a great player -- more as a person. Sometimes he just did things that weren't very typical of hockey players or teammates but he's a good goalie.
Q: Is he misunderstood? Sometimes you look at a guy who's speaking a second language and go wait a minute. My take on it is that's an excuse, so I'm gonna say no, but I'm not his teammate. I was just watching.No, he's a pretty smart guy. He knew what he was saying.
A second voice adding the animosity claim. Also, he implies that the players didn't want to play for Bryzgalov. Comments like this usually don't get thrown around even in the most acrimonious of breakups in the NHL, so it's very surprising here.
It doesn't take long to see that Bryzgalov is somewhat of a kooky character, although that's not unusual for goalies in the NHL. It's another thing, however, to say that Bryzgalov's attitude was detrimental to the team and you're glad to see him go. Even then, it's not like Eddie Belfour and Patrick Roy departed on good terms before winning cups elsewhere, and Hasek was criticized as too flaky to be trusted for a playoff team.
Honestly I did see a few inklings of Bryzgalov getting frustrated with his teammates after all those deflected goals, staring or visibly sighing at teammates who inadvertently deflected the puck past him. That's not a good habit. Still I think NHL players are willing to tolerate this in small amounts, and if Bryzgalov's play keeps up, no one will mind.
The only bummer is that Bryzgalov DID allow a stuffer/bad-angle goal, tarnishing what was otherwise maybe his sharpest game of the season.
Carter
Speaking of players, who in the words of Bryzgalov may be "lost in the woods", RDS reported that Carter wants out of Columbus. It was no secret how devastated Carter was to be traded last offseason, holing up in his Jersey Shore house until Columbus sent a delegation to talk to him. Columbus's embarrassing start to the season certainly wasn't going to help anything. But Carter has only played 8 games for Columbus! Eight!
Now the denials have already come out, notably from his agent. The sum of the evidence points the fact that Carter has not formally requested a trade, but the notion he wants out has not been disputed by any party, which is pretty embarrassing. Surely there is more to come on this story as the season progresses...
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