skatee
04-14-2008, 09:03 PM
The Ontario Hockey League hosted a media conference call today to kick off the 2008 Rogers OHL Western Conference Championship Series for the Wayne Gretzky Trophy.
Kitchener Rangers’ Coach/GM Peter DeBoer and captain Matt Pepe as well as Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds’ Coach Craig Hartsburg and co-captains Dustin Jeffrey and Brandon MacLean participated in the call. The following is the transcript of the media conference call.
Peter DeBoer:
“It’s a great honour to be playing in the conference final. I think it’s appropriate that the two best teams in the Western Conference in the regular season are hooking up three rounds later for the Western Conference championship. We’ve got a lot of respect for the Soo Greyhounds and the path they’ve come through in the playoffs, obviously handling two very good teams in Saginaw and Guelph rather easily. It should be a great series. These are two real hockey crazy towns that have supported both of these franchises through good and bad years over the past decade plus. It’s going to be exciting in both cities.”
“They were almost polar opposites in the style that they play. Sarnia was a speed, off the rush transition team. Obviously Steve Stamkos was a real handful that we had to deal with the entire series. The Soo is more of a pro model style team that is going to grind it out and do all of the little things and the details of the game well. They are a lot like we like to think we play. It’s going to present different challenges. Not that Stamkos and company weren’t a great challenge because they were, but the preparation is going to be a little different for the style of play that the Soo brings to the table.”
(on Steve Mason) “We’ve got a policy here not to discuss injuries. I can tell you that he’s in good shape and I’m sure that you will see him in the series.”
“I think when you look at our team, I think the Halischuk-Azevedo-Spaling line has gotten a lot of the headlines all year. But really, those guys have kind of grown into that role. We were more of a lunch pail group. We didn’t have a star like a Stamkos or a (John) Tavares. We’ve had some guys emerge as the season has gone on but the strength of our team has been our depth and the fact that all four of our lines can play and we can wear teams down.”
(on the Rangers’ defence): “That whole group of guys back there is underrated and underappreciated in the league. We were second to the Soo in goals against through the season. While defensive hockey is a team effort, our defencemen really take a lot of pride in their own end of the rink. Ben Shutron has been a great addition for us. It took him a while to catch up from the injury he had in the first half of the year but he’s fit in fantastically. With Dan Kelly going down late in the season – he should be expected back soon here – Ben’s filled in and done a great job for us.”
(on Mikkel Boedker): “He’s been outstanding. He’s proven that he’s a top 10 NHL pick. He might be as ready to step right into the NHL as any other forward in the world other than Stamkos. He’s a big, strong kid. He doesn’t play a typical European game. He’s been a real pleasant surprise. You never know how players are going to adjust when they come from different countries and different systems but this kid is pretty special.”
Matt Pepe:
“I had the honour to play (in the conference finals) my first year. We were in pretty tough against that London Knights team. It’s a little different this year being older but it’s a good honour to play against the Soo in the conference finals. Not a lot of players get an opportunity to do it once and I’m doing it twice. I’m looking forward to getting the series started on Wednesday.”
Craig Hartsburg:
“We’re obviously very happy with our progress. We’re certainly excited – the whole city of Sault Ste. Marie is excited about being in the conference finals. It’s great to see the two best teams facing off. We’ve got a great deal of respect for their team. I’ve got a great deal of respect for Pete as a coach. It’s going to be a big challenge for us to play our best hockey every shift against the best team in the Ontario Hockey League. We’ve got a great deal of respect for them but at the same time we really like our team. We like how we play. We like what we stand for and we’re going to try to give it our best shot every shift.”
(on facing Kitchener’s top line): “That is a great line that they have. They are three great players with lots of skill and a great work ethic. Whoever we end up playing against them certainly has to raise their game and match their work ethic and be very responsible. As a team, that’s how we have to play against Kitchener. They are very explosive – especially their top two lines. We’re going to have to be real responsible defensively.”
“The farther you go in the playoffs, obviously you play better teams. I think the first round against Saginaw, we played a really hard working team that was a little inexperienced. I thought the Guelph series we played a really hard working team that could really defend. This series now, we’re going to play a really hard working team that can defend and also score. We’re going to have to be our best in all areas. It’s going to be a big challenge.”
(on the acquisition of Matt Caria and Wayne Simmonds): “Both guys have been a big part of our playoff success so far. Any time you bring players in in junior hockey, you are always running the risk of chemistry problems and whether they can fit in system-wise. These two guys have fit in real good. Chemistry-wise, they are a big part of our dressing room. Obviously on the ice, they have both been a big part of our offence. They are both highly competitive players. They fight for their space. They work extremely hard to get loose pucks. They’ve been real good players for us.”
(on coaching Halischuk and Mason at the World Junior Championships): “They are both great kids. We know what they are as players in our league – they are both great players, but you can’t speak enough on either one of them about their character and the type of kids they are. I think that’s the most impressive part about both of them. As far as neutralizing them, I know their strengths. Matt is obviously a hard worker and very responsible player with a great attitude. Steve is a goaltender that we’ve seen a lot here in the Soo. There aren’t many weaknesses in his game and he’s certainly a big-time goaltender.”
Dustin Jeffrey:
“Ever since I’ve been traded over here from Mississauga, it’s been one of the best places I’ve ever played. The fan support we get day in and day out and just living in the city and seeing how they live and breathe hockey, it’s just been the best place for me to play junior hockey.”
“We have a lot of older players and for a lot of guys it’s going to be their last shot at a real championship. A lot of guys have put in their time here and we’re really excited to get this Western Conference final started.”
Brandon MacLean:
“I expect a lot of hard hitting. Both teams play a similar style and both of us have excellent work ethic. I expect it to be a long, hard fought series. Both teams are going to be giving it their best and the best two teams in the west are going head to head. It should be a good series.”
“When you look at the two teams, we are very similar but one thing that I think we have over Kitchener is a little bit of size. I think they’ve got a little more speed. They are a little smaller – they have a lot of quick, feisty little players up front but I think we’ve got some bigger bodies up front.”
Kitchener Rangers’ Coach/GM Peter DeBoer and captain Matt Pepe as well as Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds’ Coach Craig Hartsburg and co-captains Dustin Jeffrey and Brandon MacLean participated in the call. The following is the transcript of the media conference call.
Peter DeBoer:
“It’s a great honour to be playing in the conference final. I think it’s appropriate that the two best teams in the Western Conference in the regular season are hooking up three rounds later for the Western Conference championship. We’ve got a lot of respect for the Soo Greyhounds and the path they’ve come through in the playoffs, obviously handling two very good teams in Saginaw and Guelph rather easily. It should be a great series. These are two real hockey crazy towns that have supported both of these franchises through good and bad years over the past decade plus. It’s going to be exciting in both cities.”
“They were almost polar opposites in the style that they play. Sarnia was a speed, off the rush transition team. Obviously Steve Stamkos was a real handful that we had to deal with the entire series. The Soo is more of a pro model style team that is going to grind it out and do all of the little things and the details of the game well. They are a lot like we like to think we play. It’s going to present different challenges. Not that Stamkos and company weren’t a great challenge because they were, but the preparation is going to be a little different for the style of play that the Soo brings to the table.”
(on Steve Mason) “We’ve got a policy here not to discuss injuries. I can tell you that he’s in good shape and I’m sure that you will see him in the series.”
“I think when you look at our team, I think the Halischuk-Azevedo-Spaling line has gotten a lot of the headlines all year. But really, those guys have kind of grown into that role. We were more of a lunch pail group. We didn’t have a star like a Stamkos or a (John) Tavares. We’ve had some guys emerge as the season has gone on but the strength of our team has been our depth and the fact that all four of our lines can play and we can wear teams down.”
(on the Rangers’ defence): “That whole group of guys back there is underrated and underappreciated in the league. We were second to the Soo in goals against through the season. While defensive hockey is a team effort, our defencemen really take a lot of pride in their own end of the rink. Ben Shutron has been a great addition for us. It took him a while to catch up from the injury he had in the first half of the year but he’s fit in fantastically. With Dan Kelly going down late in the season – he should be expected back soon here – Ben’s filled in and done a great job for us.”
(on Mikkel Boedker): “He’s been outstanding. He’s proven that he’s a top 10 NHL pick. He might be as ready to step right into the NHL as any other forward in the world other than Stamkos. He’s a big, strong kid. He doesn’t play a typical European game. He’s been a real pleasant surprise. You never know how players are going to adjust when they come from different countries and different systems but this kid is pretty special.”
Matt Pepe:
“I had the honour to play (in the conference finals) my first year. We were in pretty tough against that London Knights team. It’s a little different this year being older but it’s a good honour to play against the Soo in the conference finals. Not a lot of players get an opportunity to do it once and I’m doing it twice. I’m looking forward to getting the series started on Wednesday.”
Craig Hartsburg:
“We’re obviously very happy with our progress. We’re certainly excited – the whole city of Sault Ste. Marie is excited about being in the conference finals. It’s great to see the two best teams facing off. We’ve got a great deal of respect for their team. I’ve got a great deal of respect for Pete as a coach. It’s going to be a big challenge for us to play our best hockey every shift against the best team in the Ontario Hockey League. We’ve got a great deal of respect for them but at the same time we really like our team. We like how we play. We like what we stand for and we’re going to try to give it our best shot every shift.”
(on facing Kitchener’s top line): “That is a great line that they have. They are three great players with lots of skill and a great work ethic. Whoever we end up playing against them certainly has to raise their game and match their work ethic and be very responsible. As a team, that’s how we have to play against Kitchener. They are very explosive – especially their top two lines. We’re going to have to be real responsible defensively.”
“The farther you go in the playoffs, obviously you play better teams. I think the first round against Saginaw, we played a really hard working team that was a little inexperienced. I thought the Guelph series we played a really hard working team that could really defend. This series now, we’re going to play a really hard working team that can defend and also score. We’re going to have to be our best in all areas. It’s going to be a big challenge.”
(on the acquisition of Matt Caria and Wayne Simmonds): “Both guys have been a big part of our playoff success so far. Any time you bring players in in junior hockey, you are always running the risk of chemistry problems and whether they can fit in system-wise. These two guys have fit in real good. Chemistry-wise, they are a big part of our dressing room. Obviously on the ice, they have both been a big part of our offence. They are both highly competitive players. They fight for their space. They work extremely hard to get loose pucks. They’ve been real good players for us.”
(on coaching Halischuk and Mason at the World Junior Championships): “They are both great kids. We know what they are as players in our league – they are both great players, but you can’t speak enough on either one of them about their character and the type of kids they are. I think that’s the most impressive part about both of them. As far as neutralizing them, I know their strengths. Matt is obviously a hard worker and very responsible player with a great attitude. Steve is a goaltender that we’ve seen a lot here in the Soo. There aren’t many weaknesses in his game and he’s certainly a big-time goaltender.”
Dustin Jeffrey:
“Ever since I’ve been traded over here from Mississauga, it’s been one of the best places I’ve ever played. The fan support we get day in and day out and just living in the city and seeing how they live and breathe hockey, it’s just been the best place for me to play junior hockey.”
“We have a lot of older players and for a lot of guys it’s going to be their last shot at a real championship. A lot of guys have put in their time here and we’re really excited to get this Western Conference final started.”
Brandon MacLean:
“I expect a lot of hard hitting. Both teams play a similar style and both of us have excellent work ethic. I expect it to be a long, hard fought series. Both teams are going to be giving it their best and the best two teams in the west are going head to head. It should be a good series.”
“When you look at the two teams, we are very similar but one thing that I think we have over Kitchener is a little bit of size. I think they’ve got a little more speed. They are a little smaller – they have a lot of quick, feisty little players up front but I think we’ve got some bigger bodies up front.”