Since we're all starved for hockey talk I'm surprised no one has posted the huge (30-40 min) interview with Coach Gulutzan today interviewed by Derek Wills.
Can't find an isolated link for it but this link has the whole hour that the Gulutzan interview was in. Interview starts 3 minutes in. Hockey talk starts at 7 mins in.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/960/the-big-...-show-1pm-766/
Some interesting points include:
-Gulutzan talks about the growth of the team over the previous year
-Gulutzan says most improved player was probably Hamilton. 1st pairing, elite competition, 50 points, he's taken a step. Talks about defensemen maturing later than other positions. Talks about Gio/Hamilton as analytically the best pairing in the league.
-He talks about Matt Tkachuk surprising him. Don't see a young guy play that type of role (playing against best competition) and being able to maintain it the entire season. It's a special player if they can come out of junior and be that calibre of player.
-Talks about Backlund. Says maybe he under appreciated him as an opposition coach earlier. Didn't realize how good of a two-way player he was.
-Talks about Smith's size, competitiveness and puck moving ability. Says he's one of 3 or 4 goalies who the opposition has to gameplan around his puck moving ability
-Talks about Smith leaving a rebuilding club in ARI and now just being able to focus on winning and playing goal. Says it can really help pull your team if you have 5-6 veteran guys who are just looking to win.
-Talks about Smith being able to make the occasional breakout after a bad dump-in. But also thinks he'll be great at just setting the puck up for the defense who can move it very well themselves.
-Talked a bit about Lack, his style change in CAR, how that may have affected him.
-Says there was a big style change at the start of last season. Had the worst PP and PK to start the season. From game 16-82 they had the 1st and 3rd PP and PK.
-Talked a bit about Gaudreau and Monahan missing most of camp
-Says there will be more familiarity to start this season. 15 of the players know the system already
-Talks about Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland being likely to start the season together. Liked the unit. Thinks Ferland played well on that line both in the playoffs and the regular season. Even though they didn't score a ton in the playoffs they got a lot of chances.
-Says there will be a very competitive camp. Lots of players were simmering in the minors last year.
-Talks about why he thinks Bennett will break out. Compares him to other highly skilled young players like Seguin. Analyzes his early career. Talks about the difficulty of playing centre at age 19. He'll come back bigger, stronger more confident every year.
-Talks a bunch about how Hamonic should be a great fit with Brodie. Excellent skater, can move the puck, plays physical, has experience playing top minutes against the best in the league.
-Wills asks about training camp battles
-Gulutzan first brings up Hathaway, saying "he was a big part of our club when he was in the lineup". Will be a very competitive camp for him.
-Talks about Jankowski being runner up for rookie of the year in the AHL. 6'4+. 210 lb+
-Talks about Kulak getting experience last year. Mentions Kylington, Andersson and Valimaki as guys who will compete.
-Talks about Foo. Great speed and competitiveness. In great shape.
-He says these simmering players will put a lot of pressure on to win roles
That's a bit of a taste but it's a long interview and worth a listen! I found it interesting that Hathaway was the first name he thinks of when talking about camp battles. I think he's pencilled in personally as that 4th line RW grinder. Be interesting to see how they slot Jankowski in at camp.