NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: PENGUINS v DEVILS

May 22, 2001

Mario Lemieux

MARIO LEMIEUX: Obviously, it's always tough to come back from a long layoff. Three and a half years. But obviously, my goal was to get to the Stanley Cup Finals and play for the Cup, but it didn't work out that way. Some years it doesn't work out that way, but I still think this was a big step for my organization to get to the Conference Final. Obviously, I'm very proud of all the guys.

MARIO LEMIEUX: Yeah.

MARIO LEMIEUX: I will be in the office tomorrow morning.

MARIO LEMIEUX: Well, obviously, that is going to be difficult. Our budget has been set for the next five years, so we are certainly not-- (inaudible) We have some guys to sign this summer, but I think the most important one is Craig Patrik. That is my priority to go out the next couple of weeks to sign Craig. He has been a big part of our organization; really gave us a chance to win two Cups early in the '90s and he is my No. 1 priority right now to sign him to a long-term deal.

MARIO LEMIEUX: As I said all along, since I took over the team a couple of years ago, Craig is one of the smartest hockey persons I have known throughout my career. Every year he goes out and makes great moves and brings guys who come in here and play well for us.

MARIO LEMIEUX: I think to compete for the Stanley Cup, you need perfect lines, great defensemen, that don't take any chances, don't get out of position. Obviously, a great goalie, which hopefully they will have for the next few years. Just a great system they run. It is just a matter of having your organization playing that style and to do that and be pretty successful, they have the perfect model.

MARIO LEMIEUX: Playoffs is always very difficult, especially when you play every second day; especially when you have been out for three and a half years. It is a tough grind, but there is no excuses. I chose to come back. I was part of the team trying to do the best I can to get us to our goal, but --

MARIO LEMIEUX: Yes. Very surprised now to go through the Playoffs with no pain whatsoever and as I told guys the new program that I started a couple of months ago has been great.

MARIO LEMIEUX: It is going to be difficult obviously to keep everybody. I think we have 19 guys not including myself to sign, so it is going to be difficult to keep everybody, but that's up to Craig obviously to decide who he wants to keep. Certainly-- (inaudible) when it comes to the top players as I said my No. 1 priority is to sign Craig.

MARIO LEMIEUX: Obviously he did a good job under the circumstances. I think him not being able to communicate with the players as well as other coaches throughout the League and the media certainly hurt him a little bit. He knows the game inside and out, it is just a matter of getting his language a little bit better and communicating better with the personnel.

MARIO LEMIEUX: He has got a three-year deal. Got two more years.

MARIO LEMIEUX: As far as I know.

MARIO LEMIEUX: Oh, yeah, got a lot of catching up to do obviously. I am looking forward to working out, getting my body back in shape and, I have a few months to get ready for the season and obviously with the Olympics it is going to be very, very important to be in good shape. I am looking forward to that.

MARIO LEMIEUX: Yeah. After coming back from a long layoff playing 26 minutes a game early in the Playoffs probably is not a good thing, but that's just the way the games were going. A lot of penalty killing obviously, with the powerplays, but as I said, a perfect model is on the other side to play four lines and keep everybody above 20 minutes a game is certainly going to be the key.

MARIO LEMIEUX: That's why we got to make that decision. As I said before, Craig is my No. 1 priority. We will sit down and see --

MARIO LEMIEUX: You don't dominate Playoffs.

MARIO LEMIEUX: Nobody. It is a team game and that's how you are going to win the Playoffs. You are not going to win on a 50 goal scorer, or 60.

MARIO LEMIEUX: The game has changed in the last few years. Now it is more of a team game. More of a system. It is more communication with the organization and having some pride and if you are not ready to do so, you are not going to be successful.

MARIO LEMIEUX: I think early in the season it certainly opened up. It is tough to say any time you play a great team like the Devils who play the trap very well, don't give you much room. Even tough sometimes to get across the red line. Once you do you still have to get through it once you do, so the system that the teams have now is unbelievable. It is tough for even the great players to play successfully. That's the future of the game obviously and that's probably the direction ---

MARIO LEMIEUX: This year I think we accomplished a lot as an organization taking a big step. Our goal was to get to the Finals obviously and play for the Cup, but we know how hard it is to get there. We have to adjust our team accordingly.

MARIO LEMIEUX: Obviously it is disappointing right now. But when you look back it was a lot of fun to come back and be a part of the National Hockey League again and have a chance to be a part of our organization and be involved with the players more in the dressing room. It is something that I enjoy. I hope that I have given a little bit back to the fans. Obviously there was a lot of interest when I came back and every where we went, and maybe at times I should have taken the day off or two, especially when my back was so bad for a few weeks and but hopefully the fans appreciate what I was trying to do.

MARIO LEMIEUX: No.

MARIO LEMIEUX: As I said before, that is just the way the game is being played. Teams make it defense first and offense second and if you are not willing to do that then you are not going to get to the Finals.

MARIO LEMIEUX: It is difficult for the referees. Obviously I think the League has to take a look at the two-referee system. I am not so sure it is working out the way they thought it would. Might be a good idea to take a look and go back to the old system.

MARIO LEMIEUX: I have so much respect for them, for Larry. Obviously Larry has been a good friend for many years and he is one of my favorite people in the word. He is just a great guy, and the way he is coaching and the way he has got these guys playing, I have a lot of respect for him. They are a helluva team and they are going to be tough to beat.

MARIO LEMIEUX: Obviously we had some great teams in the early '90s. We have played a similar style when we had to, played good defense, great transitions, that's what they have. They have a great defense, the trap very well. They create a lot of offensive chances with four guys going up the ice.