New York Islanders Morning Skate Availability | NYI vs VAN

New York Islanders Morning Skate Availability | NYI vs VAN

that what’s the mindset heading into tonight? >> Good. Uh it’s nice to get some rest sometimes. Um it’s nice to play games too, but I’ve always kind of every every second day. Uh you’re kind of staying the momentum of the games and whatever you’re kind of doing, but um it’s nice to get some rest at this time of the year, but um hopefully send a very good team this year. We got to have a good game. Can >> I ask you about what’s been kind of clicking on your line especially with um Hindman and >> Yeah, just on the everyone’s on the same page. Um we seem to be in the right spots when we need to be. Um, obviously Bar’s a very smart player, holds on to the puck and kind of controls a lot of it, but um, yeah. No, I think we’re on the same page. We’re trying to accomplish all the same things and um, it’s been working well so far. >> What’s been the challenge as a team to kind of fill the the hole without Horvette? >> Yeah. Um, every time some a guy like Bo or a very good player on your team gets hurt, you try to, you know, not one guy is going to be Bo or a couple guys are going to be Bo. I think it’s a fiveman effort on the ice. We try to, you know, not get out of our system and the way we play. It’s been working for us and um yeah, we’re hoping Bog gets back as quick as possible, but um yeah, to be honest, I think it’s just a fiveman effort and making sure we’re all on the same page. >> With the World Juniors coming up, I want you to take me down memory lane. Just what was your experience like playing two tournaments for the World Junior? >> It was awesome. Um obviously didn’t didn’t get to win goals, so that sucked. But, um just the tournament itself, it’s such a great tournament. You watch it as a kid. Um being from Canada, obviously it’s a little bigger over there. And um just to get the chance to wear that jersey in the tournament around Boxing Day and all that, you know, the Christmas time and New Year’s. Um it’s just Oliver tournament. I think it’s so fun during that time of the year. >> You played with I believe uh Pel and Horvat in that tournament. What were they like back then? >> Same. It’s pretty similar as as the people we I met here now and um you know, we just grow older. We have kids now. Life moves on. But um same kind of people. Um you know, the players are very similar as well. Bo is always a responsible player and P is a very good defensive. And um yeah, it’s too bad we didn’t win, but had a lot of good times with those guys. And >> you played under head coach Brent Sun, Islanders, Hall of Famer. What was he like and getting to learn from him? I think the same year that you were an alternate captain. >> Yeah, it’s a little different. It’s a quick tournament, but um obviously Satu was a very very direct person, very hard on you. Um and yeah, just hard no Canadian coach and um to be honest, I enjoyed playing for him. It was fun to play and um had like I said, you had a lot of experience in the NHL and it was kind of nice to have a guy with, you know, with that experience in the NHL and all the games he’s played to to coach a junior team like us as young young people. Um but yeah, no, it was fun coaching for him. >> I’m curious about your mindset at that point in your career. I talked to a few prospects like a he said there’s two goals. One to make the NHL roster and then two to play in the World Juniors. Um what kind of drive does that give you in the season when you’re kind of at the cusp of your pro career and you get to represent your country? >> Yeah. Um for me when I was a junior that was the one thing obviously get drafted in the NHL but um be part of those world juniors. Like I said I’ve watched them on TV for I don’t know how many years before I got to play in it. Um yeah just around that time you’re with your family you’re with brothers you’re watching the world junior so it’s always cool to get that opportunity and um but yeah when that time came around I was a junior I was hoping to be on that team hoping to be on the selection list and um it’s always fun to put that jersey on. >> I know that your schedule is is packed now but do you still kind of keep track on world juniors as a >> I try a little bit. Um, obviously with with kids now, my my my time’s kind of all all at home with them when I come from the ring. But um, I’ll definitely look at games and um, definitely show my son to some of the games. It was cool for me when I was younger to watch those. And um, yeah, it’s it’s fun at that age cuz it’s so it’s so raw a little bit. Um, it’s a lot of creativity. There’s not there’s systems, but in a short tournament like that, teams have to, you know, gel together pretty quick and become a team. And um, it’s cool to see if if they do or not. >> What’s the mindset against the Canucks? Yeah, I think um uh we’ve been playing really good in those kind of back tobacks, I’d say. Um I think um yeah, tonight we’re just focusing on our details like we’ve been doing all year and um just trying to play the right way and then obviously you got Buffalo the next tomorrow. So uh yeah, for us we’re just trying to play play hard and get the win. >> What’s been working as a team overall in the past few weeks? It seems like you guys are really confident bouncing back after losses, but where is the the team’s confidence at this point? >> Yeah, I think it’s really strong. We have a lot of belief in our room and uh every single night we have we have a chance to win based off just just our goalies. So um if we play the way that we can, we can win any game. So uh it’s it’s been a lot of fun. >> With the World Juniors coming up, do you kind of reminisce around this time of year about last year? >> Yeah, a little bit. Uh you kind of see uh some like the highlights from like the pre-ournament games or whatever coming on now. And um yeah, it’s a really cool time of year. Uh grew up as a kid watching that tournament all the time. And last year obviously wasn’t the result that we wanted, but um yeah, I think this year I think Canada has a really good chance of winning and uh rooting for ages. >> When it comes up to the leadup of the tournament, what do you remember about kind of training camp and then making the roster and then kind of that first game to represent your country? >> Sorry, what did I remember from it? >> Lead up though, like when you got, you know, named to the roster and then to to go to the tournament. >> Yeah, it was pretty crazy. I think that that week like those kind of weeks leading up to the tournament were kind of a grind and you’re kind of in your head like if you’re going to make the team and all that stuff and um I think you kind of just have to enjoy it. Um the guys are going through it now probably just uh excited and looking forward to the tournament. Um yeah, as soon as it kind of got started like I mean that crowd last year was pretty unreal and um yeah I mean all of Canada’s watching it so it’s it’s it’s a special time. Do >> you think there’s going to be chirps and stuff in this room and do you think you’re going to be following the tournament along? Um, yeah, I’m sure everyone’s going to be following it along a little bit. Um, I don’t know if they’ll be chirps. I mean, I don’t know. I don’t know sure what the guys have up their sleeves. Maybe uh some friendly wagers on the games, but uh nothing nothing crazy. >> You mentioned HS. What’s your friendship like with him? >> Yeah, I got to know him pretty well uh during camp. I mean, before camp, I wasn’t the biggest fan of him. Play against him all the time. He’s always throwing the body and uh plays hard. So, uh getting to know him at camp, I was got really close with him and uh he’s a great guy and a great player. So, we’re lucky to have him in the organization and um yeah, I’m sure he’ll do great for Canada going to travel >> uh yeah to skate at off since >> I know he skate this morning, but I I haven’t talked to the >> Kimber will be in a better position than me to give you the answer >> with Barcel. Are you assuming he’ll play tonight? >> Yes. >> Is this sort of a load management thing related to his knee or is it a separate injury that that was picked up? you’re not answering. Okay. >> I love when you answer your own questions. Make it so much easier for me, >> but it’s maintenance and and expect them to play. Yeah. >> What do you like about the D’Angelo carrying? >> I don’t know. It’s It’s a good mix in a way that um Tony D is very good moving the puck, jumping into the rush. Pie’s very good at also moving the puck, jumping in the rush. and and I feel like they both connect really well and uh P is playing really well defensively and um I think that helps a lot. Uh Tony D Tony D is very vocal on the ice. So I think they’re really both very good for both. >> Notice that even situationally you put you know block and pel back together sometimes just how nice is it to have that luxury to kind of put a pair back together certain times. >> Yeah, exactly. Um, yeah, because they’ve been together for so long and but I think right now I mean uh they both playing so well and they’re both helping our team to be better and helping the players that they are with like Sha is with Pulley and I feel like that helps him a lot and then the same thing for Tony D. It helps him to be with >> uh Py >> with Richie. You talk about wanting him to kind of stay under the wingers on breakouts and things like that. When are the moments for him where like you want him to to go versus sort of stay back and >> when we have the puck. That’s all. >> I want him I mean we I’m surprised that he mentioned this, but that’s okay. Um it’s it’s important that we’re not flying the zone. I want us to stay under the puck. So if we are full control, yeah, he could go, but if there’s a battle, I want him to protect. So, I mean, I I think that um these are mistakes that young guys are making sometimes because they want to get in the offense. They think that by scoring goals or having points that that that will, you know, s you know, give them the chance to to stay with the big club. But to me, the first thing I want to see Callum doing is to play well in his zone. That’s my that’s the trust I need to have from him. And he’s been doing this so well. I mean, last game was probably the only time, you know, and and it happened a few times. So, I just want to remind him. It’s more a reminder. It’s more like to help him to become the player he wants. Like I would say, help him to be his very best. And that’s my objective every day I come to the rink. It’s to help our players to be their very best. What can I do to help Callum to be I can’t He’s got the skills offensively. I mean, come on. The goal that he scored against Temple, I this is this is outstanding. The the play that he made the night before and the pass that he made to Olstrom, that was I mean, come on. That’s not teachable. I mean, this you have this. He’s got that. He’s he’s so talented. But what we want to make sure is we want to play well defensively and and sometimes it’s just a small reminder like this. To me, this is a small reminder. Do do you take some optimism defensively from like even LA last game even the shifts were kind of his line was hemmed in? They they seem to do a pretty good job of keeping them out of the middle of the ice and out of the the high danger areas. >> Yes. No. And and and who wants to be in your zone for over a minute? Nobody. You know, you want to put your hand especially if the first the first I always thought that the first like five, seven seconds are very important. If you if you have a good breakout, you’re or or coming out of D zone, you’re you’re you’re coming out of Done, you’re going to have success and and you’re going to get the puck out of the zone. That’s how you’re going to be successful getting the exit out. But I feel like in that game, um they were a little trapped too much in my to me and that’s all we talk about. I mean, it’s like the line change. You’re going to try different things, you know, you’re going to and and you’re going to learn different things. So, it’s the same thing when you play defense. You want to make sure that hey, sometimes just step back and and just to make sure you’re back on on on track. It was the same thing when I was playing. It was if I had a couple bad games, I’ll just go back to basic and say, “Okay, what is my bread and butter?” And I feel like if we’re playing well defensively, it’s going to help us to get the puck faster and be more, you know, in the offense. It’s nice to be in your zone giving nothing, but if you’re in zone for 10, 12 minutes a night, I mean, you’re not going to generate much during that 10, 12

Hear from Cal Ritchie, Jonathan Drouin and Head Coach Patrick Roy ahead of tonight’s game against the Vancouver Canucks.