	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: PENGUINS v RED WINGS

June 5, 2009

Dan Bylsma

DETROIT, MICHIGAN: Practice Day

SCHUYLER BAEHMAN: Questions for Coach Bylsma.

Q. Little different kind of question. I'm just wondering if the reason you guys are staying out here is just to change it up after not winning the first two games?
COACH BYLSMA: That would be one reason. That could be a reason. We're not that superstitious.

Q. Word today out of the Wings was that Pavel Datsyuk will be back tomorrow night. Don't know what capacity. Just from the standpoint of being on the road and looking for match-ups and such, what kind of a different look is that going to give you in what you guys can do?
COACH BYLSMA: Well, I'd assume that he -- well, Zetterberg has been going after Crosby for the better part of four games, getting back home. Looked to see if that was a match-up they wanted again or if they spread those duties out. But with both those guys and maybe they put one guy on Crosby and one guy on Malkin.
So I don't know what kind of capacity he is or what he expects of himself and how much he's going to play. But you're talking about inserting a pretty good hockey player at both ends of the rink, so it's going to add a lot to their team if he can get in there and be effective the way we've seen him be effective in the past.

Q. Following up, what do you admire most about the Red Wings now that you're in the middle of this series? What about their franchise or their team do you admire most?
COACH BYLSMA: I don't think you needed to be in the middle of the series to have something done on you. They do a great job of having good people in all different areas of the organization from the top down to Grand Rapids. And they see it in the players as well. They continually get good players. That seems to come as a surprise to the rest of us, but shouldn't anymore because they continually do it.
I think when you have a foundation and a good atmosphere with good people, you set -- you have continual success over the years, and that's something they've been able to do. It's tough not to be envious of the quality of people they have. The quality of players and their record.

Q. What did you learn about Evgeni Malkin when you took over as coach, both as a player and a person? And also, if Datsyuk does come in tomorrow and they spread it around a little bit, what is Malkin going to have to do and Crosby going to have to do to maintain the level that they've shown in the last few games?
COACH BYLSMA: He gets to speak -- he can understand English really well. Speaking is okay. But the one question is, how well is he understanding? He understands very well. He's not real confident with it as you all will find out. But he understands perfectly fine. There's no problem there. And, again, he's like the first guy on the the drills when I explain the drill. I have a habit of not explaining drills after the first couple of times to him.
I say the name of a drill, and he's the first guy to know where to go and what to do and is often the first guy in line. You understand pretty quickly that he's serious, and paying attention, and he understands. What we're going to do or what it's going to mean to have one more very good player on their team to spread out the responsibilities at both end of the rink is going to make it a bigger challenge.
You know, Geno has gotten I think seven points in this series, and most of the checking duties have been assigned to be on Crosby. So that might change if another very good centerman comes into the mix. And does he play center or wing, and how much is he used?
So certainly they've talked a lot about what Geno has been able to do, and how good he is. And I'm assuming that's something they'll certainly focus on if they have the ability to.

Q. How much tape did you watch of the Anaheim-Detroit series? And were there elements that you specifically wanted your team to apply in this series?
COACH BYLSMA: Having played in Anaheim, I watched a lot of Anaheim games whenever I get the chance. We were often on opposite days, so pretty closely watched Detroit-Anaheim. One of the things that Detroit or Anaheim does well, and it's a strength of Detroit as well, is they clog up the neutral zone. Their "D" step up and limit gaps for the offensive gap for the opposition.
And that's something that I think we really tried to improve upon the last 35 games is not giving up zones, not giving up gaps to good teams, and not allowing them to get four and five guys into the rush at times.
With Anaheim's defensemen, they do a good job of that. And that's something that we focused on. So I often watch Anaheim for that reason, not just because they played Detroit. But I think Anaheim brings a physical presence to their game that is difficult for teams to handle when they're playing well.
They're a good team. They've overcome some obstacles this year and had a strong finish. Obviously, they've had success the past couple of years. And they've done it with playing very, very good in the neutral zone, and their "D" standing up and preventing teams from getting the offensive zone.
So I've watched them not only here, but also when I was in Wilkes-Barre and Portland, played them the same way we did last year in the Playoffs. So didn't necessarily watch that series from a Detroit standpoint, but what Anaheim does well.

Q. Can you just talk about Jordan Staal as a penalty killer? Maybe kind of characterize him as what kind of penalty killer he is, and where do you think he is in his development as far as how good he can actually be at this level?
COACH BYLSMA: Well, he doesn't get enough credit for his skating. I'm not so sure I would label him a quick skater, but he has definitely speed to his game. You see that when he has the puck in the neutral zone. But he closes time and space down on the penalty kill well. Clearly he's a big body with a good stick that makes it even easier for him or makes him better at closing down those angles.
But I think he has the defensive mindset when it comes to penalty killing. There are guys that penalty kill that have an offensive mindset, but they're still trying to penalty kill. And he has that defensive mindset. His angles, and closing guys down, getting in shooting lanes. That's the mindset he brings with the abilities that he brings as well.
And it's different than I think just to take Wayne Gretzky, for example. Who did kill penalties, but an offensive mindset when he comes to the penalty kill. Versus what Jordan brings, which is a defensive mindset. And almost a defensive sentiment, though he's good at the other end of the rink as well.
So real smart kid, diligent kid. Wants to -- easily coachable. Easily comes in and asks, doing the right thing? Should I have done something differently? How are we going to apply to this team in this situation? And that's what he brings, along with the talent level that he has, which is high as well.

Q. Has there been an unsuspecting leader on your team from the start of the playoffs or as this has gonna long that's surprised you or other players on the team at all?
COACH BYLSMA: I think the thing that maybe, I don't know if it's a surprise to me, but I think it's evident for our team is it's not just one person. The strength is that it's many people. You could list ten or 12 that have probably played a role in that at any given time, whether it be standing up in the room, or on the bench or just with their play.
From our goaltender to Jordan Staal, you know, Sidney, Billy Guerin, you know, Matt Cooke, Hal Gill, Sergei Gonchar, all those guys, Ruslan Fedotenko. At some point in time they've led in their own way, whether it be words in the room or in a meeting or whether it's before a series when we're preparing.
Maxime Talbot had a few great words about what he saw in last year's playoffs. So I think the strength of our team is that we've gotten it from a lot of different areas.
I'm not sure I'm surprised by that, but certainly was good to see that there's a group of guys in there that are all heading in the right direction and willing to step up and lead at any given time.

End of FastScripts

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297