End of Season Player Media Availabilities: Defence and Goaltenders

End of Season Player Media Availabilities: Defence and Goaltenders

know it’s only been a couple of days, but what do you miss most about being in the playoffs and having that experience? What do I miss most? Um I’m not sure I um I don’t know. It’s just the playoffs just in general, the energy just to to live it was um I mean it was a dream of ours. We we’ve all been um playing in Ottawa and we wanted to live with the fan the fans in the city, live that experience of playing the biggest games of our lives. And um like I said two days ago, it definitely didn’t disappoint. I mean, we um just to live the the home game and and seen 20,000 people standing during a TV timeout. I I don’t I don’t think there’s many ranks in the NHL that you’re going to see that. And um over the years, you we heard a lot about the guys before that live the playoffs here and you hear um so many different things and to finally see it, I think it was it was just special. It was good uh good experience for a whole group and it was it was definitely a lot of fun. Did you allow yourself like clearly you’ve noticed the TV timeout, but did you allow yourself to kind of take in those moments of those home games? Yeah. Yeah, you do. Uh right as soon as this uh national anthem, as soon as you skated out for warm-ups, um just different energy in the building. It was it was uh it was just fun. It was it was fun to see. obviously, you know, the supports there all season and everything, but um took such a big step for the playoffs and um online you see videos of the city when we won the the road game in Toronto. Um just seeing everybody behind us, it was it was it was fun and obviously it’s disappointing that we didn’t uh push it further, but um I think it was a good learning experience for all of us to to live it for the first time. Uh, I think we learned a lot as a group. Um, and I think it’s going to be fun the next couple years. I think the sport’s going to grow even bigger, uh, for from the city and the fans, and I think it’s going to be even better for us as a group. Having a taste of it, um, change your approach for the summer and how you enter next year. Yeah. uh the season, I mean, this season, the way we came in this year, I think everybody was on the same page. Everybody was ready to go and everybody was uh willing to do whatever it takes to to make the playoffs. Um, and I think we did that. But I think the biggest thing for us coming in this summer, um, I mean, for a lot of us, it hasn’t sunk in yet, and we lost a couple days ago, and it doesn’t feel like the season’s over. Um, but it’s coming back in the same headsp space and the same mindset of uh doing whatever it takes. We’re going to go back into next season and it’s not fortunately it’s not going to be any easier to get into the playoffs. We saw how tight it was this year. It’s going to be same thing if not maybe even harder next year. So, um, but you know what? You got to look back on the things on on on this season, everything we accomplished and how big of a step we ca we we took as a group and you got to focus on that this summer. Everybody’s got to go home and do what they need to do to come back as as healthy as they can be and um as ready as they can be for next season. We know guys have bumps and bruises throughout the season, throughout the playoffs. Were you playing through anything in the playoffs? Uh we all do. Um that’s the fun part about it in my opinion. It’s uh it’s it’s it’s playing through something. You’re you play 82 games, 80 games, whatever it is during the season. If you um manage to to show up in the playoffs fully healthy, there’s not many guys that can do that, unfortunately. But yeah, we all had our own little things, but um like I said, I think it’s it’s the fun part of the playoffs is is uh feeling the pain, feeling how hard you got to play and and do whatever it takes to try and win. What injuries did you have? I got my knee that’s been bugging me for a while, but um there’s a lot worse cases out there than me. You haven’t talked to Nick Jensen. I’m guessing he’s one of those worst cases. We didn’t see him on a lot of morning skates. What was it like for you to watch him rehab play every night, but then not get to play with him in practices? Yeah. Uh that’s a guy that he’s not he’s definitely not going to talk about it, but um that that that was that was a hell of a half a season for him every day. uh just just I I talked to him with with him last night again, but um everything he went through this year, uh still dressed up, still play as hard as he could. It’s it’s uh it was honestly so impressive for me. There’s not that many guys out there that are willing to to go through that much during a season and and he did it and he played unbelievable. And uh to me, it was it was honestly a a pleasure to to play with him. the guy’s so talented and we got along together and it worked on the ice, but off the ice he’s even better of a guy. And just to see um all honestly, excuse me, a bad word, but all this he went through all season to to be able to play hockey um just goes to show you how how willing every single guy was going to be to to to try and achieve what we wanted to do. And um but no, he definitely did go through a lot. Yeah. anything world. Have you been asked? No. Um, no. I’m I’m going to take uh some time the past few summers with the surgeries and everything. It’s been kind of different summer. So, I’m I’m looking forward to uh going home and and uh take some rest, take some time to really focus on what I have to do right now. People talk about the playoffs being a different season almost. What stood out for you about the differences of how the game is played? Uh, well, the energy is one thing, the the the passion and everything, but I think the biggest thing for me is is we learned a lot on just experience and um game one and two. Um, coming on the road, a lot of us, it’s our first time. Um, I think I think you’re going to look back at it in a couple weeks and and have a better idea of it. right now. I think it’s just so fresh right now that you don’t we didn’t take time to sit back and really think about it, but um you know what? It was it was a fun experience. That’s what we wanted. We wanted to do it. Uh we achieved it. Um we wanted to do more for sure, but um I think it’s all the little plays that the the way the game is during the season. Yes, it’s a it’s a it’s a detail game and and but during the season some nights you might get away with it. um you might still end up winning the game whereas in playoffs you just you just won’t and uh one little play um can cost you the game and and that’s playoff hockey. But I think it was good for all of us to go through it and um I think like I said it’s going to be good for for next year when we come that situation we already lived it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We I mean we saw it all year. It’s there was the first NHL season. So, um we all been through it. You all go through the ups and downs during a long season. It’s it’s tough to to play that many games in a year against the best players in the world every night. But, um, the more this season went on, the more you saw him getting comfortable and getting back to to playing his game and being physical, uh, skating. I mean, he’s got all the tools. He’s what, 68 on the ice or whatever he is. He’s he’s enormous out there. He can skate. He can make a good pass. He’s got good skills. He’s definitely got all the tools. But, um, just to see him him and and Montipalo being so good all season for us, it’s it it’s huge. I mean, you look at a team and every year you look at the playoffs and it’s every single guy that has to do it and seeing those guys coming in first year and they didn’t look like it was their first year. They played unbelievable all year, played great all playoffs. So, it’s definitely a positive for our group in the years to come here. French. Yeah. [Music] Why did [Music] experience came in Experience Toronto. Fore! Foreign! Foreign! Right. [Music] Um, right. exact expectations. Excuse me. [Music] Um, match up. Okay, we may cooked [Music] We see Travis Green. greener. We step [Music] [Music] [Music] Foreign Fore! Foreign! Foreign! Phil Um, no. Fore! Foreign! Foreign! [Music] [Music] for granact. Nick, a visible limp as you walked in here and you’ve seen it for quite some time. Now, if you can, can you just walk us through what you went through here in the last half of the season, even maybe even more? Uh yeah, obviously um there’s been, you know, some I’ve been grinding a little bit um to get through a lot of these games, but I I credit to our our health staff. They’ve been they’ve been helping me get through this, so I’ve been been able to get all the way through playoffs with it, obviously, and I could have continue to play with it. Um, but uh, now I know it’s it’s pretty fresh, so we’re taking the time to assess what the what the future’s like and and how we can move forward to make sure I’m in the best shape I can be for next year. Can you explain exactly what you have, like what the injury is? Um, I I don’t think I’m disclosing um, exactly what is going on until we figure out exactly what our our progression going forward should be like. I just want to make sure with the doctors and everything that we that we work all that stuff out with them first before anything gets talked about. What’s that? It’s I mean it again I have to talk to the doctors and that’s why we we have them here. So they’ll give me the best advice and best adviserss that I can get. So and I I got to sit down with them and talk and and see what the best options are. We talked to you like a couple of weeks ago and just asked you if you’ve ever dealt with something like this mid-season and you said no. Like how challenging has it been for you to be in the playoffs even miss so many practices because of this? Yeah, I mean it’s it can be tough uh honestly not being able to practice or not practicing and stuff. It’s not that I couldn’t p it was more just trying to manage um what I was going through to make sure I was in the best shape for the game. But at the same time practices, we practice for a reason. We have a practice with a purpose and when you’re not able to do it every day, um it can be a little tough for your game development wise, it can kind of dip here and there when um you should be practicing and kind of keeping your game sharp. So that was kind of a challenge going all year. Um not being able to do that. But um that was just what we needed to do at the time and to to manage what what I was going through. Obviously the hot kit this level is very intense on your body and stress. Um, so that weighs or puts a heavy toll on your body and and it’s hard to manage sometimes. But and in like worst case scenario, I know you don’t know what’s happening. Worst case, would you be ready for training camp next year? Uh, I think it would be again, I don’t know what the options or all the options. I don’t know like what logistically they look like from day one all the way up till recovery. like that’s something that that the doctors have to tell me. I would be hopeful that yeah, I would be um but again I have to sit down and they have to tell me like I don’t know anything about any of the solutions that they have in their mind. So just told us about how how strong you guys have playing together this year. How how was it for you to to come this city and get a steady partner? Yeah. No, it was he he was obviously he was an amazing uh deep partner to play with. He’s uh he’s an awesome player. He competes um highly skilled, sees the game super well. Um great skater. He’s great communicator on the ice. And I think all those ass all those assets kind of add up and they make it really easy to play with. So um immediately when I stepped in, it wasn’t hard for me because of all those intangibles and tangibles that he possesses in his game. Um it makes it really easy. and a guy like me. So, I think that’s that’s why we were um pretty successful at times. And on a personal level, how how much was it enjoyable for you to to play this for a season? Yeah. No, it was it was extreme looking looking back on, you know, getting traded here. It was a whirlwind of a time in my life where it’s just it’s a lot of craziness. you don’t really know how to process it, but you look back on it now and uh obviously very happy with with where I ended up and um how we competed this year and how we achieved the goal of making playoffs. I know it’s not the way we wanted it to end, but I’m pretty I’m I’m very proud of what this team has accomplished and personally I’m happy to be a part of it. Sorry to have to go back on the injury, but are you able to pinpoint exactly when you suffered what what you suffered? Uh there wasn’t like a there wasn’t like a one day where it just happened. It was kind of something that slowly progressed over time and uh obviously it was it was good at times and then sometimes it was not so good and that goes back to how intense every games are um or all the games are in this league and it’s it’s tough on our body. It’s hard to recover sometimes. So that was kind of the main um challenges going going through it is that it wasn’t just something that like you didn’t you know just tear your shoulder or tear your knee. It wasn’t something like that. So um that was the most challenging part for sure. We know you didn’t get to play in the playoffs, but how would you sum up your season? Uh it was honestly it was a lot of fun watching the team grow. Um I mean it was neat. It was neat to uh like I got my kids in school here, so both of them are in school. So, it was neat to see the community I think rally around the team. Um it was fun. It was uh you know kids like every day wearing the sends gear to school. You get pick up at school and people are chanting go sends go and uh so I do think this year was just it was a lot of fun. It was it was a neat season. Um, I think the team took obviously a lot of steps and for myself I just quite frankly tried to do whatever was needed from me and whatever was asked and I kind of played a little bit of everything this year. I think a little bit different roles here and there and uh just tried to do that as best I could and have as much fun as I could with it because uh we are blessed to play this game and do what I do for a living. So just tried to show up with a smile on my face and let the chips fall where they may every day. You’re a UFA this summer. What’s next for you in in your hockey playing future? Uh what’s next for me is my daughter’s 7th birthday yesterday, so she’s got a party this afternoon. Um we got a gymnastics center rented out, so um yeah, I’m going to go throw the tightest clothing I have on and just go do some gymnastics. But uh no um you know all kidding aside that uh I’m just excited right now I think to just you know when the season ends it’s it’s a long grind for the guys basically from middle of last summer to get through the uh the season and and and the playoffs and you know I do think that our kids and and I you know being a father and being a dad and being a husband is something I take seriously and so when when you do in this moment. Um, it’s hard. So, I think immediately um I I know where you’re getting at with your question, but uh I think in my life I try not to look too far ahead. I think I always have done that. And I think uh it’s probably a good lesson for me just to try and stay in the moment. So, I I think it is nice that I can just go home, be dad, and uh you know, there’s there’s a lot to unpack whenever you feel like you’ve just went through a season. And so, uh, you know, to not be long-winded, but I I think that’s probably the best answer. I I love I love being a Sun. I love Ottawa. I think I’ve been very clear about that since the three and a half years that I’ve been here. I think the community is amazing. I think the group of guys, uh, some of the funnest times I have playing hockey, I think, has been here. Um, and I I think the neat thing about our community, whether it’s Ottawa or the Gatnau region, um, is a sense of family. Um my kids I mean my kids really really enjoy being here and being a part of our community here in Canada I think has been it’s just been a blessing for us honestly I’ve said that and uh it’s something I am fortunate to to have had the chance to uh um live in this community. It’s uh it’s next to none. So we’re we’ll be here for a little bit still this season while the while the kids are in school. So there was a moment um after morning skate for game six you were the last player on the ice. You were sitting there Zamboni, I think, was making its way out and you were looking around. What was going through your mind in that moment? You caught that. Um Well, you know what? Um all season I I mean I I skated a lot this year. I I’m someone that just enjoyed like I don’t think I miss an optional pregame skate. Um I I think whenever you get a chance to get on an NHL ice surface is is neat. Um, you know, it’s it’s it’s kind of funny that my kids get on the ice here quite often and they don’t know and obviously can’t appreciate how cool that is for them just to go skate on an NHL ice surface. And so I I think with my kids now both playing hockey um and and when I get them on the ice with me, they don’t know and how would they know that how cool that is to do something like that. and takes me back to being a kid when you’re in NHL building and you’re on the ice and you’re playing or you’re practicing or whatever and you’re like, “Wow, this is kind of cool.” Right? So, um, at the end of every pregame skate, quite frankly, I I always take a moment. I guess maybe there’s just more action on the ice when normal pregame skates throughout the season, uh, take a moment and just say say a prayer and just take a moment to be grateful for it. So, um, that’s honestly what what that was. I just happened to be the last guy off the ice. Was no different than another morning skate, three of them. No, I mean uh No, I was just I literally I I try to take a look around because I do enjoy it. I do appreciate it. And and uh one day whenever whenever that day comes uh you won’t be able to show up and take my kids skating on NHL rink and someone call security if I did that, I guess. But uh um you just won’t be able to have those moments. So, you know, I whatever at my age and at this point in my career, you don’t know how many more you got. And uh so you try to appreciate the ones you have. Is that why you need some time for reflection too, Travis? Is because of your age. You picked 900 games. Quite an accomplishment. Yeah. Um well, I I do think at the end of the year, no matter what, you have to reflect. Um and also when when you don’t, it’s different when you have a contract or if you don’t have a contract. Um so there there’s a lot of there’s a lot of intangibles, family and professional circumstances. So there there’s a lot. So I do think whether honestly whatever the profession it is that you’re in, whatever you feel like you’ve just finished a marathon or whatever the case may be, I I think that you’d be ill advised not to take a moment to catch your breath and uh just kind of see where everything goes, I guess. Um I do I do appreciate you asking that question. You never know. I love being an NHL player. I really do. It’s it’s been one of the biggest blessings I’ve had in my life. Um that’s that’s not lost on me any day. Congratulations on games. Thank you. You got those right at the end of the year. How important was that for you? Um it was probably more important for my kids. They were they were counted down to see when I’d get there. They had they wanted to make the signs and things like that. So they were excited. But um you know it’s it’s it’s yeah it’s it’s a nice round number I guess. Um, I think it just maybe something I’ll appreciate when I’m a little bit older to know that, you know, I’ve played 15 years and 900 games. I mean, that is, I guess, a lot. Um, and I just tried to be grateful for it all, but it it wasn’t necessarily something that I was like, I I need to get, you know. Um, it it’s kind of nice how it all kind of unfolded, I guess, so to speak. But uh like I said, maybe my kids had it circled, but uh um I just tried to approach it as another game, you know, same way I done the other 899, I guess. How was it for you throughout the season? I know you have familiarity with those guys on defense, but considering some of the injuries that would happen at different points. There were points where you were playing with Jake Sanderson or you would find yourself on a second pairing, going back and forth playing with Tyler, what was it like for you throughout the season going up and down all three of those pairings? Um it was a little bit different. And I mean to be honest in in years past it it I don’t think I had that kind of movement. Um and I mean I let’s be honest like I I didn’t know what to expect at the start of the season. I just wanted to train and get myself ready um first and foremost and kind of control what I could control. And um I mean things happen and all of a sudden you’re playing here, you’re playing there. So, but um I just tried to kind of take it day by day and and see where I was playing or if I was in or whatever the case may be, but have that try not to affect me and and uh I I am someone I think that is obviously pretty vocal and got great relationships with everyone on the back end. So, I do think that maybe that did help when I went in to have the familiarity with whoever I was playing with. You know, obviously we’ve talked before like when you’re speaking and you’re comfortable with each other and your friends off the ice, um that that can translate to communication on the ice and how important that is. So, um I I do think that probably helped you off the team for a few years now. What do you think explains the change we’ve seen this year that allowed this team to take a step? Yeah. Well, uh I don’t know if it’s necessarily one, you know, I can give you the one magic answer, but uh I think it’s a culumation of a lot of things. You know, the new coaching staff came in immediately and implemented some good changes for us as a group. Um it seemed like everyone took another step. All the younger players were all that much more mature, another year older. And and I think as well the group had been through some hard years and and I think you’d be it’d be a missed opportunity and a missed chance to not evaluate those years where it didn’t go your way and it wasn’t hard um to see what you can do to drive, you know, whether it’s motivation, whether it’s reflection on the ice of what you can do to be better and why you missed or things like that. So, I think the group and especially the younger players really took that to heart the last couple years and it was kind of just a lot of factors I think that kind of all went in together with uh uh why why the team had success and and I think the fan base got behind the group. Um you you’ve seen it throughout the season how passionate they were and um the guys feel that energy. Like I talked at the start, you go picking my kids up from school, you can see how dialed in the young kids are in school and and how passionate you see the flags on people’s cars. Like that that doesn’t go unnoticed. Um and and I think that just drives everything. So I would say, yeah, it was kind of a a good mix of everything that really pushed things this year. There was a vocal minority, I would call them a vocal minority of fans who kind of were overly critical of your play throughout the season and would get online a lot. Like how aware were you of that criticism? and if he cared about it at all, like how did you like push through that? Um, I mean, I’m not online. Uh, I I know a lot of guys say that, but I I got enough going on at home with my kids and everything else, so I don’t necessarily have time to be online doing things. I mean, listen, everyone’s entitled to their own opinion. Um, and that’s fine. I I do think that, you know, what’s the best way to say this? Um, everyone’s entitled to their own opinion and and it is what it is. And I and I do think that early on in my career, I was told that you’re never as good as they are or sorry, let me repeat that. You’re never as good as they say you are and you’re never as bad as they say you are. And, you know, I was showing up every day and and and putting my head down and just going to work and doing whatever I could. You know, they’re whatever the people that didn’t like my player, don’t like me or whatever the case may be, they’re part of our fan base, too. and I went out there and put that jersey on for three and a half years and played my butt off for that fan base. Done. I would have done whatever I had to do, you know, and so I I I just looked at it the other way. I just chose not to acknowledge, you know, if there was bad being said to me, I just whatever, you know, it is what it is. They’re they’re allowed their opinion, but uh um I try to choose more positivity than than negativity. And I I don’t necessarily sense the good reason to knock people down all the time. I don’t I don’t get that, but it is what it is. Have you and Steve had any conversations? Yeah, we had a meeting this morning. Yeah. Contract brought up about your future. Uh, no. I mean, no. I mean, we we talked quite often like I I played with Steve. Um, you know, so uh we we had a meeting this morning and uh um yeah, like I said, no nothing on that front right now. Then you play may have played your last game as far as I I’m not going to look that far ahead. Um, you know, I things change quickly in this business. I’m sure you guys are well aware of that. Um, yeah, I I haven’t got I haven’t gotten around to that. I I like I said, when I got traded here, I think it was three and a half years ago. It uh I think it changed the course of my career and and and my family’s life. I mean, my kids were two and three when we got here and they’ve grown up here. It’s kind of what they’ve known, right? So, I just choose to look at it as a blessing and and obviously there’s never going to be I’m never going to play till I’m 50. Um, at some point it will end. Um, but uh uh being here and being a senator I I think was uh like every moment of my career which the four teams I’ve played on has all had something a little bit different but uh I just think with with how much of a community base this is and how much my family’s enjoyed living here and being here that uh this this Ottawa is a special place. Yeah. Whether it’s in Ottawa or elsewhere, do you still want to play after this this season? I think every guy when even when they’re retired 70 years old still want to play, right? So I I think the hunger inside of a player to play is is always there and uh so you always want to play. I mean that’s that’s the thing. But uh we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. The motivation still burns deeply. Um if anything from obviously I I didn’t play in the playoffs and uh when you see the guys going out there and and so charged up, it just makes you want to play and uh um but yeah, we’ll we’ll cross all those bridges when I get there. Yeah. Do you see yourself playing anywhere else at this point? Yeah. I mean, these are all and I I respect you guys asking these questions. I get it for a player of my age and this and that, but uh I haven’t gotten to that point, you know. Um when I was with the Islanders, I didn’t necessarily see myself. I played there for seven years and was drafted there and New York was this very special place to us. But, uh, I didn’t necessarily at the time see myself playing anywhere else either. Um, and then since then, I’ve been on three teams. So, you never know what can happen and and and where things go. And, and that’s why I mentioned earlier that things change quickly in this life and in this business. And whether it’s me or what you guys do for a living, things change and um, it’s how you adapt and and how you move forward. So, I I think it’s all just kind of all look at that. But I I do respect your question. I understand where you guys are asking those from, but uh I guess I don’t have any answers. If I did, I wouldn’t tell you. So, what would it be somewhere else? Uh yeah, I mean um you know, my son’s uh son and daughter, I should say, are are very passionate Senators fans, so they were upset when we lost the other day. They you know, they were really upset. Um, but you know, we we move as a cohesive family unit and the best thing as much as I can sit here and smile and talk about playing hockey and how blessed I am to play hockey and do what I do for a living, I it’s unfortunately it doesn’t hold a candle to what I do as as a father and in my family life, right? And that is the utmost importance to me. So, whatever we decide one way or another, wherever this and that is is always as a family at this point in my career. So, we’ll leave it at that. Speaking of what a player is just getting started, Tyler Kleven just played his first full season. What have you seen in his growth this year and what have you tried to do to Yeah, I mean, he’s a heck of a player and I think you’ve seen that down the stretch. Um I I think the fan base, I said this a couple years ago about Jake, how how good I thought Jake was going to be and and the impact that he was going to have on our group and and I think Clev is another one of those players that’s going to have a huge impact. So, I don’t know what they’re doing at the University of North Dakota pumping all D man, but uh someone had a a phone line into that to that program with our team, but uh I think club’s a heck of a player. Um he’s only just you talk about a raw talent or scratching the surface. I think that’s kind of what you’re seeing with him. Uh I think he’s got a lot a lot of offensive upside as well. Um he’s got a cannon of a shot. He skates extremely well and you can see when he’s when he’s dialed in physically what what the impact I mean he can change a game with a big hit. And I think uh learning how to time your hits, um when to maybe step a little bit out of position and you can get away with it. Those are things that he’s obviously really good at right now, but he’s only going to to learn how to develop those skills more. And I think he’s going to be able someone that can impact the game in like four different manners. Um and kind of a unique skill set for for what we have on our back end that no one really does that, right? So I think the sky’s is the limit. And off the ice, I think we’ve really became good friends. like he’s an easy guy to get to know and hang out with and and uh build that chemistry off the ice and it just a a true pleasure to be around like every guy in that room. Honestly, we we don’t have any bad seeds in there. We got a good group. So, how have you seen Brady’s leadership evolve from time to Yeah, I mean it’s it’s uh I mean he’s a heck of a leader. He’s obviously a heck of a hockey player. He’s extremely passionate. Um he he’s someone that is, you know, not necessarily dragging you in the fight, but dragging you in the fight, you know, like um he he’s he’s he’s he wears it on his sleeve every night and whether it’s a big goal, whether it’s, you know, stepping up physically with the fight as you see him do. I mean, he’s he’s a unique player in the league in that sense. Like I don’t really know if there’s too many like him. um all the while while having an OC in a Canadian market is never never the easiest thing in in a in a city that obviously there was some hard years and he was a captain for it and then when you’re making that transition become a playoff team um I I thought his his his off ice leadership skills in our dressing room and and how he goes about his day-to-day business is is next to none. It’s uh it’s actually pretty impressive and I mean it’s part of their family. You can tell um you know from his dad or his brother who I played with as well. It’s the same thing. But, uh, I mean, he’s a heck of a leader, heck of a person, heck of a hockey player, and, um, yeah, you can tell what it means. Like, even just with the kids in the dressing room and things like that. Like, you can tell he’s growing up in an NHL dressing room and the impact that he can have on my kids or, you know, like to to to my kids, he’s just Brady. That’s it. Don’t realize, you know, how good of a player he is and things like that. But, uh, he is a heck of a leader and he’s an important one for us. Not to go back to Tyler, you mentioned how you got along with him off the ice. What advice did you give him if if you did about having to adjust to being an everyday NHL player and living that NHL life? Um, it’s I mean off the top of my head, these young guys are coming in and they’re they’re dialed right in. Like it’s it’s not like it was when I was coming into the league. It’s a little bit different. Um, I just tried to help off the ice. Uh, you know, scouting report before a game. What What is this guy going to do on the ice? This guy’s going to try and drive you wide. this guy’s going to use his shot, his physicality, his speed. He’s going to reverse hit you. So whether like on the ice, things like that, um these guys are so in in their intuition for the game and and where what they need to do and how they need to play, I think, is things that you can’t necessarily teach them, but uh just tried to help off the ice and and I think the most important thing is just develop a really good friendship and uh I I think we have that. So it’s uh he’s a heck of a player. Yeah. How’s it uh been for you processing the last few days now that you’re out of the playoffs? still fresh. I would say I think that after this weekend things will feel different. Uh in my mind at least we’re going to get together here a couple of the guys as well and this like everybody else does when you get uh you don’t get go all the way or even if you go all the way. So get a time to get some closure on this get to enjoy the fun times with each other. Uh it’s been it’s been a lot of fun. Uh we have some more fun to up down the road as well. What was it like for you? You came here because you wanted to be the number one goalender. What was that experience like for the first time in your NHL career? It was a lot of fun. There’s a lot of hardships, a lot of things that happened throughout throughout the season that hopefully I don’t have to go through next season as well. That’s my plan at least, but you know, plans can change. But I’m really happy with how things kind of progressed throughout this season. Ever since our little uh I would say rough patch in November to then playing really solid hockey in December. Uh and then kind of fed off of that. And you know throughout the season is long. There’s going to be ups and downs. But I felt that looking at the team from an inside but an outside perspective as well that there was less of the lows and more of the highs and the way that people not just the the players on his own. There was a different type of feeling speaking to a lot of people around it. not just in here but on on the outside as well with fans having a little bit more cheerful you know tone in their voice and a little bit more excitement about the things that we’re doing here and when once you see that and just for me you know in the beginning of the season towards you know January February March you like there’s a there’s a big change here and you get to feel like okay there’s an excitement there’s some you know hope and about the playoffs and then you get to see the playoff and get to feel how much louder it was here compared to Toronto, for example. It was an awesome thing to to hear and see. What are you going to take from your experience too as being the number one goalie for all of the playoffs for the first time in your career? Well, basically the same things, you know, for me at least. You you’re going through these sort of things. You have your anxieties, you have your worries, you have your doubts, which every single person has. in in this uh in this league. What I like about it is that it didn’t really affect me from my standpoint. You know, there’s always going to be people saying that if he played better, we would have won the series or whatever. I’m like, yeah, I’m the first one to tell you that. You know, I’m not happy with the results. I can look back at it and seeing that I’m happy about certain things. I’m happy with the strides that we’ve been taking as a team and the things that I’ve learned as well. You know, I got to I got a shout out in the playoffs as well together with the guys and that’s a first time for me and know that I can do it is a good confirmment that for next time I know there’s a possibility I can do it. I don’t have to think can I do it, you know, I I know that I can. and playing with with these guys as well and seeing how they how they kind of adapted from game one to game six or even other games was was a lot of fun and and I’m very proud and I’m very happy and motivated in a way seeing that okay you know they the guys got it you know it wasn’t that we got ran out of the building four straight you know like people might have thought when we lost the first one no We we took it to three overtimes. We won one of them and got one on the road. And uh I I said it throughout the playoffs as well. You got to rely a little bit on lady luck as well. But I also said you have to earn it. And uh things you you know how to earn it in a way. You know where to go. And um you got to give Toronto credit in a way as well. They did a lot of good things. I thought that we did a lot of great things as well. And sometimes it’s, you know, it’s a onego game. It that’s how it is. But coming back to me myself, I’m happy and excited about what’s to come in a way. And looking back at this season, you know, like you said, being a number one goalender for the first real time uh for the Hill season, it was a lot of fun. You know, I I had a lot of fun. Ever since I got here, that’s been a lot of fun. that November rough patch, was there like a heart-to-heart with everybody? Was there a meeting? What went on behind the scenes, as much as you can tell us, that kind of helped you guys turn around and get out of that and and go on that stretch of games in December? I’m only going to speak for myself because it was a time in my life as well that I focused too much on what we were doing, which is a deadly scene as a goalender because you can’t change what the guys are doing. You can’t have them doing different things out there. You can’t be in control of what they’re doing. You kind of just have to adapt to it. And a lot of times during that time, I was frustrated with the way they were doing things. But had some really good conversations, me and Pey, for example, that it’s not about them, it’s about us. And I’ve, you know, at first you’re like, what do you mean that, you know, I’m I’m trying my best here. But I was very frustrated in a way that I always let in at least one goal a game where I it was preventable. And once I started thinking, you know, more about what I I can do and focusing on the things that I need to do like my preparation for example was awful a lot of times during this stretch. Once that kind of got better, December happened and we know what happened there. you know, we went on a run and I’m I’m very happy in a way that we had the honesty together to, you know, have that conversation together and not just, you know, blame it on someone else or something else. And it was a a valuable lesson for me of okay, if I just take care of myself and doing what I need to be doing, I give the guys a better opportunity to win instead of having to focus on PK or power play or, you know, breakouts and this and that, you know, I I I started to see the situation for for what they were and started to get a better read on the things which allowed me to be a lot more prepared for any type of situation that would develop. And when that happened, a lot less goals went in because I was already prepared for things happening. And it’s the beauty of it like you never know what kind of a situation is going to be thrown at. And this is one of those things. Yeah, it sucked during the time, but it was a valuable lesson for me myself to go through because it really helped me get to a point where I felt very comfortable about what we were doing and you could see the light in a way, you know, it wasn’t just pitch black and everything sucks. You know, there were some some good things here and there and then there were some more things and all of a sudden the whole room started to light lighten up and we started to believe in a different way and guys realized what needed to be done in the daily basis because they already were professionals, you know, off the ice and doing all those sort of things, but it was more about what we were doing on the ice every single game, every single practice that kind of just clicked in a in a better way. Uh when and when you see that and when you’re part of it, you get that fire burning even harder and more intense. The way you prepared earlier in the season, was that the way you had in the past? Was it different like and like the way you changed it? You just said in November, is that something that you plan to do forward? This is a thing that as a goalender is one of those things when you get you have to learn the tendencies of your players in front of you. Knowing who likes to pinch, who likes to go on offensive rides, who likes to do sauce passes across the middle, um who likes to do what, you know, who’s a big shot blocker, who can you rely on having a good stick? And it’s hard in the beginning because you don’t know. you’re trying to figure out what all these guys are good at and what what their tendencies are. And once you start doing that, it’s easier for you to be prepared for what’s to come. You might have, like say for a demon that’s really really good in a twoon-one situation of taking away the passing option. Okay, great. This is my guy. And then you might have someone that’s really good at blocking shots. So when there’s a battle in front, you know, okay, he’s going to grab it. I just have to focus on like making sure that there’s no holes on the other side of him basically. And so these things takes time. I said it from day one. It will take time. Sometimes it goes faster, sometimes it doesn’t. For me at least, it was an exciting thing that things came together, you know, during December and then continuing on uh throughout the season where uh when I look around the room and I see old tendencies vanish as well that might have not been a productive way of playing. It was so fun, you know, seeing the development of young guys like, for example, Clevley, you know, coming in playing his first season. So, or it’s not easy, you know, it’s a long season. It takes a long time to get accustomed to it. or not. You can look around the league around you see guys playing 10 years still trying to figure things out and and seeing it up close, seeing the development of these guys, seeing how terrific of a skater Tim is. uh seeing the I would say u we all knew it but how how good Sandy was at for nations and getting to show the na the whole nation and all the other guys that was watching hockey at that time that yeah this is how good we know he he is and get to feed off of it those moments is one of the best things you know in a in a in a playoff in a team environment for me at least that’s something that I get excited about question. At the beginning of the season, you mentioned that you want to play the line share of the games for the first time in your career. This week, you played 44. Is that still going to be like a personal goal of yours going into next season? Yeah. I mean, if you look at it, I don’t know how many games I ended up missing. So, during the time when I was here, I did play limelight of the of the games. So, uh, my I think they I speak for everyone that you never want to get injured. You want to be a be available every single night. You want to have the opportunity to go out there and battle with the guys. And yeah, it hasn’t changed. I’m still going to go out there. I’m not going to come in next year and say that, you know what, 30 games is enough that we can share 30 30 20 or something like that between three guys. No, that’s not going to be you’re never going to hear that from me. And secondly, um your backup goal for obviously you guys have one relationship. He’s not restricted free this summer. Um maybe you can speak to that relationship and if it winds up being next year. Um what what would that dynamic bring for you? Yeah. No, it’s ever since I would say day one, me and for knew each other from way back. You know, it’s we thought it was a pretty cool thing that at least I did at the time that you know what we started our professional careers back home in their speech moto and here we are 10 plus years later being a tandem in the world’s best hockey league being two guys literally 30 40 minutes apart from the northern part of Sweden. It was a pretty cool thing to think about that what we managed to accomplish in our own careers. And Dave, him together with his uh wife Jess and and uh Ben and Stella, their kids have been a tremendous support for us uh throughout the season. Uh we’ve grown very close uh closer than I could have imagined, I would say. So, I have a lot of to thank for because it made the life off the ice a lot easier. Uh, whenever there was any, you know, sort of questions from me or my wife or whatever it may be or if it was a playd date here or there, you know, they they were in the same shoes as us, you know, being a goalending family and it’s a little bit different. So, I have a lot of gratitude towards them, lots of love as well. So they really helped us to kind of thrive in in Ottawa uh quicker than I ever could have imagined. Lenus uh World Championships were in Sweden. Has Sweden reached out and do you have any interest? Oh no. Yeah, I’ve I have the interest but they’ve decided not to go with me. Uh that’s the what’s it called? That’s the decision that they made uh found out and so they it would have been a great opportunity to to play for team Sweden obviously back home in in Stockholm. So uh let down about that whole situation. You know, I I really wish that I had the opportunity to do that and put the natural team jersey on now, especially when we didn’t make it until the second second round because uh it’s it’s this, you know, you you don’t want to play world championship in a way because you want you don’t want to be available. That’s the thing. You always want to say like, “Sorry, I can’t come. I’m playing I’m playing secondly or second round or third round.” So, but you know it it just spoke a little bit higherly this year of being home in Sweden and having friends and family come watching you and so but that’s this decision that they’ve made. It’s nothing I can you know go about and change it. That’s just something they have to own up to. Is is that just to add some contact context is that based on timing more than anything because you’re in the playoffs. Yeah. Yeah, it could be. you know, I haven’t had the what’s it called? Uh, it’s my agent who’s had the conversation together with the management of Tech. So, you would have to talk to them about what the actual reasonings for. He just brought the news to me yesterday that I’m not going or that I’m not having the option to to go. And so, you know, my summer is going to be a little bit longer, it seems like. You mentioned it being Tyler Cleven’s first season and also that earlier in the year it was difficult to gauge what your team’s tendencies were in front of you. What have you learned about Cleven’s game and as the season has progressed? Buddy, I just wish he would hit as hard as he does all the time more times. What a it’s so it’s fun seeing it from beh like from where I’m standing seeing how the forwards line up for him to go out there and hit. And so once you start utilizing his body that way just gets you so fired up. And I can speak for the whole team that whenever you see that from him, it’s it’s can change the game, you know, it really it can does. And so for him to to do that, but he he did a lot of good things throughout this last couple of games as well of managing the puck in the right places and making good plays, not just throwing it away at firsthand, but no, he he looked a lot more comfortable and he had a lot more poise out there, which I feed off of. And I think something that I strive to be a part of as well of being a person that when if you look at me and you can see that, you know, he’s cool, calm, and collected. Oh, I’m it’s fine. And so the difference is is I would say that he had a lot more confidence from my standpoint at least. How would you sum up your first full season with the Ottawa Senators? Uh, I thought it was good. Um there’s a lot of different you know development things that I wanted to work on throughout the season and um you know I think that we hit those points uh you know here and there and um you know I felt like by the end of the year I was kind of playing my kind of hockey and um trying to contribute to the team. Um just um yeah I think that that’s kind of how my season went. How’s it been processing uh the last few days? I know it’s still probably still fresh in your mind being out of the playoffs, but what’s it been like for you processing those emotions? Oh, yeah. Um, just being able to see the Canadian Tire Center like that. Um, it was an unbelievable experience. Uh, I think that, uh, getting all the guys into the playoffs and experiencing that and, um, I know I think I took so much away from, you know, that kind of hockey and, um, just, uh, you know, I want to be back in it as soon as possible. Tyler, you quickly became a fan favorite, especially during the playoffs. Even Lemark gushing about your physicality. Talk about that and and turning up the intensity uh come playoff time. Yeah, I I don’t think I really changed my style at all. Um I just, you know, in the playoffs it’s more physical. Um you know, the plays get simple down a little bit more and uh it’s just, you know, it’s uh I don’t know. I think it just fit my style of hockey kind of. um just I I play a certain way and um you know I’m not going to go out there and skate around and you know make crazy plays all the time but um and you know you don’t see that a lot in the playoffs. So um you know I just I’ve stuck to the same um you know standard all year and uh I thought in the playoffs I you know I could just play my style a little bit more. You’re a restricted free agent at the end of the season. Have you talked to Stoos at all or your representatives? And how open are you to, you know, a long-term fit in? Yeah, I haven’t uh discussed anything yet. Um, you know, I I love the city of Ottawa. They’ve been so good to me for last couple years. And um, you know, I I’ll have to talk to my agency on all that kind of stuff, but um, yeah, I mean, I love the city and and uh, all it brings. Going into the off season, are there any specific areas that you think you need to work on just to maybe take your game to that next level? Yeah, I think so. I’ll I’ll talk to the staff and all that kind of stuff and we’ll uh we’ll create a plan to you know, try to work on my weak areas and um you know, I want to come into camp next year and um you know, kind of pick up where I left off at the end of the year and you know, try to have a good start to the season. So, um I’ll go back to North Dakota this summer and um yeah, train there. How much do you feel playoff experience just added some confidence to yourself and for your game to go into next season? Yeah. Uh you know, the playoffs is, you know, it’s man’s game out there for sure. Just every every battle is that much more important. And uh you know, I I I loved it. It was so much fun to be out there and um you know I could play my physical style um just yeah I thought that you know it was just you know it was fun hockey and I thought that it fit my style of of play. So yeah. Is there any kind of validation that comes with that that you know your strengths seem to be enhanced in the games that were the the hardest and most physical this time of year? Um I mean I I don’t know. I just just try to go out there and play my style and just try to you know help the team and um I think that like I said playing in the playoffs it’s almost easier because it’s just so simple like everyone’s just doing their job and um you know pucks just get moved north faster and um I I can play more physical as well. Like in the regular season there’s 82 games you got to maintain your body a little bit. you can’t, you know, go all out every single game, but um in the playoffs it’s it’s a little bit shorter and you can uh you know, express yourself on the ice a little bit more at times. So, yeah. Your game seemed to evolve once you were paired with Nick Malo. Can you talk about that that chemistry with him and your relationship with him? Yeah, he’s a you know he’s an awesome guy off the ice and you know we worked uh pretty well last year in Belleville together and uh we had that experience and you know he plays uh you know simple hard hockey and you know that’s kind of what I like to think that I am and um you know he’s physical and uh we just broke pucks out well in the playoffs I thought and just tried to help our team out and give them good minutes and um yeah I mean yeah he was a great partner to have in the playoffs. You get noticed for your physicality a lot, but talking to some of your NAK teammates that have known you a while, they thought that you didn’t get appreciated enough for your ability with the puck and to make plays and have poise. Just a thought from you on on where your game’s grown in that area. Yeah, I think you know over the course of the season just uh you know getting that many more puck touches and and that kind of stuff uh you kind of understand the game a little bit more too, it slows down at times. Uh, I think that, you know, that’s where confidence comes into play. Like, uh, you know, at the start of the season, like, um, you know, it’s probably, you know, I didn’t have many puck touches. I only played like 17 games. Like, confidence probably wasn’t all there. And then, you know, by the end of the year, I, you know, almost 100 games now. And, you know, I can see how some players play and I can understand my teammates a little bit more. So, um, yeah, I think that, you know, confidence is grew over the course of the season. and you could see my um you know different styles come out. Travis Hamick said one of the things he tried to do is give like scouting reports of opposing teams uh before games. What have you learned from from Travis throughout the season? Yeah, he was great. Like we uh Hammer always worked on little things with me too, like uh like at the start of the year, we’d always be out the end of practice working on little details like picking up pucks off of rims or um you know, breakouts and you know, being able to communicate on the ice. Just like stuff like that that um you know, not many people can really teach it cuz you know, they haven’t played 900 games in the NHL. He’s a guy that uh has been around forever and um yeah, even in the playoffs just, you know, you know, telling me little things to, you know, help out my game. Uh I thought that it was awesome to have him around and uh yeah, he was a great teammate. Tyler, I don’t know if there’s been any interest, but would your status as a restricted free agent keep you from going to the World Championships? Yeah, I don’t plan on going there this year. How’s it been for you processing the last few days since the playoffs ended for you guys? H it’s tough. Um I felt like felt like we could have done it. Um had a great team. We’re playing pretty good and uh I think it just shows situations like that. It can it can go both ways. Um obviously going into overtime it’s kind of a coin flip. So I think if we get uh you know a little bit lucky on some of those bounces I think uh the series goes the other way. but it didn’t. So, you know, just look forward to next year and see what happens. You’re not that far off from a couple months back when this team hit a low point in November and they lost five games in a row. How did you guys dig yourselves out of that hole? Was it obviously you look within yourselves, but was there like a meeting? Was there hearttohe heart, big speech? What happened? Uh, I mean, looking back, I mean, you have meetings every single day. Um I think some some longer than others, but uh I think when you go through losing streaks like that, you just got to get one win. Um got to find a way and just go from there. What was the season like for you? Like you ended it early in the year you struggled, then you kind of praise your game in the playoffs, you played well. Like what did you learn from this season just as maybe like a main takeaway? Yeah. Um it’s a long season. um you’re going to struggle at times and I think uh you don’t want to get too consumed in your routines. Um I think uh comfort kind of kills kills growth. So I think uh you don’t want to get comfortable in the day-to-day routines. You want to, you know, seek out challenges every single day in practice. And I think uh I think as the season was going on, I was I was finding myself getting caught in those routines and just uh you know, not going through the motions. But I think like I said before, not really seeking out challenges. So, um obviously I think uh you know a flip switched in my mind as the season went on and I think uh just that helped me a little bit. What are those things that you try to kind of push yourself or challenge yourself to not be in that routine of comfortability? Yeah, I think just little things in practice. Um I don’t know, like silly things like passing on your backhand when it’s an easy forehand play. Um, obviously just making yourself a better player, but uh, in the gym too, I think every every aspect in hockey. Yeah. A lot of people took notice of you during for nations. People said that your series against Toronto was a bit of a coming out party for yourself. How do you feel about the fact that your profile and your stock essentially through what you’ve done this year is up and and more and more people will start paying more attention to your game? Yeah. Um I I think like I don’t know. I think as the season went on um I think at the start of the season I was a little wrapped up in you know trying to just do too much trying to be something I wasn’t and I think as the season went on kind of settled into my play a little bit more and uh got got found out the player I want to be. Um, yeah, but I think like it’s just one season, you know, like you had good parts of the season that’s uh that doesn’t really make a career, so I just want to keep building. What’s the next maybe challenge for you like in the offseason? Like what are the areas that you want to improve upon heading into next season? Yeah, I think everything. Um, just get stronger faster. Um, I think playoffs too kind of, you know, makes you realize, you know, the type of the type of game you need to play to win. Um, and it’s long, too. We only played six games and it’s uh it’s physical. It’s intense. So, um, yeah, lots of lots of experiences I learned from this year and, uh, take going into the summer. Jake, some of the players, um, I think about Brady, I think even students, let’s say, they look up to you and some of your preparation. What are those things you’re doing behind the scenes that you’re just taking extra care and doing? Uh, I don’t know. I think like guys say that, but I think everyone kind of does it nowadays. Um maybe I’m a little bit more nerdy about it than other guys, but uh no, I love that part of the game. Um I I mentioned before playing with Jacob Chicken last year. Um role model for me and I think uh just the health stuff in general that I like. So um yeah, I think hockeyy’s kind of like a it’s my life. It’s 24 hours non-stop. So um you know, whatever whatever I can do to help myself play better and help the team win, you know, I’m obviously going to do it. So, so like extra ice tubs or the way you’re eating or like sleep patterns or what is it? Yeah, I mean I try try different stuff every single year. Um, obviously I think the main things are are huge. Your your diet, make sure you’re eating enough. Um, yeah, sleep’s obviously a big thing, but uh, like I said before, I feel like everyone’s doing it. It’s just, uh, I don’t know, maybe maybe they just noticed me doing it a little bit more. Have you been approached by Team USA to join them for Worlds this spring? Yeah, I have. Um I I declined this year. I just think it was it was a long season. Um but uh you know obviously I love representing my country and hopefully have you know more opportunities in the future. Is there anything specific you took away from the Four Nations playing with those guys that helped you down the stretch? Yeah, I think just being around everyone. Um feel like for the most part everybody has the has the same physical capabilities on the ice. um skating, hockey IQ and whatnot, but uh I found just being there um the guys that separated themselves from from the rest of the team in the league, I think it’s it’s mental. Um it’s it’s their confidence um day in and day out and and their belief in in what they do. And I think uh that that too what uh Claire mentioned earlier, just the preparation stuff, all those guys are, you know, at the top of their game with their their nutrition and their mental game. So, I think uh yeah, kind of just all aspects rubbed off of me in that tournament. What do you think um Travis’s approach, his vision for how you wanted the team to play, why do you think that resonated with this group so effectively? Yeah, it’s been it’s been unreal. Um you know, since since Travis has been our head coach this year, I think uh you know, every player loves him. We love playing for him. Um you know, he has a great relationship with everybody on our team. So I think when you have that in a coach, it it just brings out, you know, the best in everybody and you you excited to come to practice and work with everybody. So, um, yeah, I think this year was just the first step of, you know, many for us in the future.

Hear from the Senators defenceman and goaltenders at the end of season media availabilities from Canadian Tire Centre.

0:00 Thomas Chabot English
8:29 Thomas Chabot Français
17:21 Nick Jensen
22:36 Travis Hamonic
41:34 Linus Ullmark
57:56 Tyler Kleven
1:04:56 Jake Sanderson