“We had budgeted for a Conference finals birth...and we figured it would be vs Dayton,” GM Nicol said. We didn’t see Calgary coming at first, and then as we were treading water, they were the hottest team in the league. They added some players at the deadline and they became a complete team. I saw them taking us out. I felt our club could go 7 with them and give them a run, but I had that feeling all along,” said Nicol.
“I felt we had our usual well balanced scoring all season long. A total 4 line commitment. We had the deepest blue line we’ve had in years. I felt our top 4 were as good as any team’s, perhaps the best 4 in the league.” I felt our goaltending was also as best as it’s ever been. We had 2 studs in there. In the end, it just didn’t happen for us when it needed to happen,” said a frustrated Nicol.
<<<After a pause, team PR man Mike Gilbert opens to floor to questions>>>
Reporter #1 – Was there a goaltending controversy down the stretch and obviously into the playoffs...and wi... (reporter is cut-off by GM Nicol)
Nicol- There was no controversy, I went with the hot hand at the time, that’s how I work with goalies. Both contributed, both got hot at different times. I went with who I thought gave us the best chance to win on that given night. That’s it.
Reporter #1 – How does that factor into next season?
Nicol- It doesn’t. Next season is a new season, we’ll address our personnel when the time comes.
Reporter #2 – Nick Foligno was clearly your rock, your stud...are you at all concerned about his drop off in the NHL this season and perhaps a big step back in CCHL moving forward?
Nicol- We don’t pay too much attention to that. We know he’s a great player and our co-captain. Whether he’s in for 40 goals or 25 goals, he’s a complete player for us and he’ll play the same role we expect moving forward.
Reporter #3 – With being declared the “winners” of the UFA period this past off-season, and then the impending trades to shed some of that salary...did that disrupt some of the chemistry or make you second guess any of those moves? (both signings and trades)
Nicol- Umm, no, I don’t think any of that played a factor in things as we got going. Perhaps during the first month there may have been some uncertainty, but no, we were fine. We made the moves we needed to make. We signed the players we needed to sign. They all agreed to terms. And under the rules and our budget plans we made trades we needed to make. We got better, we made out well.
Reporter #4 – Have you considered what you will do with your impending FREE AGENTS?
Nicol- That’s something we will do as a collective group. We’ll sit down and go over all that. I’ve briefly looked at it, and some things are obvious, some not...
Reporter #4 – Would you be looking to trade for a UFA re-sign or perhaps keep a guy like Bieksa, who seems to be a personal fave and had a solid season?
Nicol- Ya, Kevin seems to be a guy we have had for a while, and he is one of our leaders as well, so ya, would not rule out re-signing him. I believe Ericsson is the other UFA, and a couple of the guys we picked up at the deadline (who won’t be back).
Reporter #1 – RFA wise, your thoughts there?
Nicol- We are negotiating a long term contract for Roman Horak...(Nicol smirks as the media scrum sarcastically laughs with him) In all seriousness, we will address those and look to get our key guys signed. We have what we would call 5 significant RFAs. We will take a look at monies and term for each, and try to get them signed. There could also be trades, but we will take a look and see what makes sense for us.
Reporter #2 – There has to be some concern with payroll moving into next season. Obviously it would be tough to operate like you did this season?
Nicol- Ya, that seems to be a concern for us every season...as far back as I can remember anyway! We have run a pretty volatile marketplace with our franchise, that’s for sure. We made it out of a big hole back in the day, we operated pretty efficiently considering, and now we are looking at a lot of high priced talent all at once again. Good question, but we know the inside and out of the finances, so we’ll be ok.
Reporter #1 – Does that spell the end for Rinne in Niagara?
Nicol- That’s something we haven’t looked at. We’ll address our goaltending soon enough. Yes, I know I said I went out to get our goalie of the future in Mrazek, and he clearly is that guy right now. He’s having an excellent NHL season as we figured, and it would make sense to start him next season. On the flip side of that, you can’t really have a back-up (or a time share partner for that matter) making almost 8 million a season, with term left as well. So a tough decision will have to be made either way, yes.
Reporter #5 – Were you happy with direction of the league as a whole?
Nicol- YES! (GM Nicol smirked) But seriously, yes, the league is doing well. There is parity, there are teams making money and competing at the same time. It has come a long way in that regard. We have a good group of GMs.
Reporter #3 – Will this team continue with its –in your face- physical style or will you perhaps look to a more finesse structure?
Nicol- We play physical, we always have, we always will. That’s our style, and that’s what were are known for. We are successful, and teams do not like to play us. We like that! I mean, we employ star players who will go out there and hit and fight if they have too. We also are one of the few teams that still employ an enforcer or two. I don’t think anyone predicted Paul Bissonnette would last as long as he did in this league? Tom Sestito? John Scott, our incumbent heavy? It’s fun and they are the most popular guys on the team and with the fans, so why not?
Reporter #4 – It would seem like you are all in for another run next season? Is there truth to that or is a rebuild coming soon enough?
Nicol- We are in it to win it next season, for sure. We have made significant investments with a plan of being a top team moving forward, and a top team for the foreseeable future, yes. Rebuild wise, that is something that will come eventually, and we will plan accordingly for that. We have made some good draft choices to start that preparation, but something like that requires a lot of drafting, and we just haven’t been into that as much as other teams right now. When it comes, it comes.
<<<After a pause, team PR man Mike Gilbert informs reporters to hurry up and ask a few finals questions as they need to wrap up>>>
Reporter #6 – Will you trade Toews?
Nicol- No.
Reporter #1 – Any players you targeting in either trade or free agency that you can see?
Nicol- No. We don’t even know who will be available or what would fit right now.
Reporter #2 – Will you have payback in mind for Calgary next season?
Nicol- Yes, for sure. Yipper knows that...he has been down those roads with me for years!!
Reporter #4 – Could we expect any big trades around the draft?
Nicol- Maybe? Never know.
Reporter #5 – Captains and assistants remain the same moving forward?
Nicol- Yes. Toews/Foligno...Backes, Bieksa.
Reporter #3 – Were you impressed with your UFA signings considering the money handed out to them surprised many?
Nicol-Yes, overall, we did well, and the results were there. Byfuglien and Daley were great on the back end and Hossa was electric all year on our 1st line. So they were key players for us and will be moving forward to next season.
Reporter #1 – Any retirement announcements or anything like that?
Nicol- Umm...yeah Salvador is hanging them up. He had a great year for us in part time work. He kind of platooned with Ericsson and we were pleasantly surprised at how well he did. He said he’s done though, and good for him. We have groomed Josh Manson to replace him or most likely both of those guys...I think Cooke is hanging them up, but has not confirmed yet. Horak’s a reserve and he is done. Stanton will move to reserve from what we know now.
Reporter #2 – Plans for you in off-season?
Nicol- Goin’ to DisneyWorld. And beer, more beer! (GM Nicol laughs as he collects himself)
<<<Ok that’s it...PR man Mike Gilbert says as GM Nicol exits the podium area>>>
good stuff !
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