On whether the Kings are where he wants them to be after a slow start:
We’ve made progress. I think other than our first game we’ve headed in the right direction with the type of game we need to play. I think we’re a different-type team than we’ve had in terms of our experience on the back end and fitting Looch into the lineup, things like that.
On whether there was an adjustment period after losing experienced players:
Well, I think Slava Voynov is a borderline great player. He went from playing six games last season. Probably the biggest reason we didn’t make the playoffs.
On Connor McDavid:
He comes exactly as advertised. He’s going to be a great player, and he’s already at his age a top player in the league. I think you guys are getting to see it on a nightly basis.
On Milan Lucic:
He’s played really well for us. Everybody always questions, ‘where does this player fit,’ or ‘who does he play with?’ That always sorts itself out, especially with a guy like Looch who’s played in one organization his whole time, had one coach. If you look at it, he played with probably pretty much the same centerman his whole career. The adjustment is not anything to do with him in terms of performance. The adjustment is just adjusting to new surroundings. He’s played really well. For sure he’s been our best left winger by a longshot.
On looking to “cultivate” more production from the Shore and Andreoff lines:
Shore and Lewis have been top players for us. ‘Cultivate,’ for a farmer, means work. So, if you’re talking about anybody else, cultivate is work.
On his memories of Rexall Place:
It was always coming home. Always. Got family when you come to Edmonton. It’s still the best part of coming back to Alberta. You always knew, for the most part, Edmonton and Calgary, especially when I was a young player, were tough towns to come in to, if you look at those two teams.
On playing and coaching at Rexall Place:
You know what? As a coach or a player, you just go into buildings and play or coach. Again, being from Viking, [we were] here for other events. [Reporter: Did you come up as a kid to see the rodeo and concerts and stuff like that?] Not to the rodeo. I’ve been here [for] the rodeo [during] the lockout for two or three of ‘em so far. I remember coming, and I think the Oilers were still in the WHA because I waited after to see Ross Perkins, because we’d known Ross. Ross is from Wainwright.
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