On whether the first 10 minutes are as important at home as on the road versus San Jose:
Yeah, they’re a great overall team. I think they come out hard and they have a great power play. We’ve just got to be ready to play. It’s going to be a long night, a slow start with all the ceremonies and everything, but I think we’ve got to be ready from the drop of the puck and play a full 60 minutes.
On keys to keeping his legs fresh after a long ceremony:
I think you’ve just got to be focused and make sure when the puck drops you’re ready. You get a hit, you get a shot, you do something that you think is necessary at the start of the game and your first shift to get your legs going.
On the excitement for the start of the season, given his productive preseason:
I think everybody in here feels great. We’re excited, we’re having fun right now, but we have to win games. We have to get off to a good start. We know the teams in our conference, in our division are really, really good, competitive teams, so we have to be great and make sure we match everything that they have to offer.
On the championship ring:
I think I had it on for so long, I almost couldn’t take it off because it was so tight. My finger was swollen from it. But it’s awesome. To see them and to have the dinner and the get together we had was incredible and surreal and I just want to do it again.
Whether he’ll wear the ring in public or only for special occasions:
I’m a little too irresponsible to be wearing that in public. I might lose it or break it somehow. I’ll find a way.
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