[HelloHockeyFans]

1. How have things been going?


- Good, been getting a lot of minutes.

2. How has it been adjusting to the Heat?

- It was tough because they were doing so well, personally for me, I’ve been enjoying it here. Been playing a lot of minutes and on the PP, not much on the PK, but it’s been good for me.

3. What kind of role have they put you in right now?

- We’ve been switching lines a lot, but it’s been fun playing with Granlund and Reinhart… playing an offensive game, but still paying attention to defense…

4. What are the adjustments you’ve had to make on the ice?

- There’s a lot more time and space in the AHL… have to get used to it again and realize I can hold on to the puck much longer here than in the NHL. Took me about 4-5 games to get fully adjusted.

5. What about the adjustments mentally / attitude?

- It was an awful feeling coming down here, but it’s something you have to deal with. After a while though, you get settled down here and you feel like you’re a part of the team down here and not the Flames anymore.

6. What was your reaction when you were sent down?

- Like I said it’s an awful feeling and my one goal was to not get sent down this year and try to establish myself in the NHL… having that goal and not reaching it, obviously I don’t think anybody would be happy about that.

- I felt like there were a lot of good things with the Flames and for a while I was playing really well, but of course I had my ups and downs. I tried to focus on playing as good as possible to not get sent down, and the main thing was I wanted to learn and play well up with the Flames, but it just didn’t work out. But of course I was frustrated but that’s who I am and if I didn’t get frustrated that wouldn’t be me.

- I think I’ve been maturing a lot after this and getting stronger mentally as these kinds of things help you grow and in the long run this will help me.

7. What was the message from the Flames when they returned you?

- They wanted me to work on my defensive game and keep going forward and get my confidence. There’s a lot of ways I think I can get better and Troy’s been putting me out there in the last minute of games and that will only make you better.

8. What’s your motivation to get back to Calgary?

- For me, I look at the long term and I know I’m going to get better. Right now, I’ve been getting stronger mentally as well as on the ice.

Other comments:

- Granlund has really adjusted well to the NA game. I remember when I first came here I remember how hard it was for me. He’s a pure sniper and I like to pass so it’s been fun. Max Reinhart is a great player and can really finish. We spend about 80% of our shifts with the puck so it’s been fun right now.
- Troy Ward and the coaching staff have been great teachers. Ftorek knows how to score goals and he knows what positions to get in… I could notice that the guys down here are really good at passing the puck.


Overall, you could tell he's frustrated but he also made a point to mention that that's just the kind of guy he is (probably very self sure and fairly driven to succeed because he believes he should be there). Also mentioned a few times about how confidence is a huge thing for hockey players and he's been getting more and more confident. I get the feeling he definitely doesn't feel he belongs in the AHL, which will hopefully push him to work on the other parts of his game even harder so he stays up next year full time.