December 2 morning skate quotes: Darryl Sutter

On how St. Louis a different team this year:
They got Derek Roy. Got Bouw for a whole year. Goaltending’s healthy. Personnel, that’s probably it.

On whether work ethic against St Louis is “paramount,” compared to other teams:
No, I think work ethic in the National Hockey League is paramount. There’s no weak sisters or big brothers.

On adjusting the lines against Calgary and at this morning’s skate:
We’re just trying to find some guys who can keep up with Kopi. Kopi and Drew were drawing a lot of attention from the other teams, rightfully so – either best players or top checkers – and whoever is on the ice with them have to either be top checkers or be best players, quite honest. We’ve had trouble from game 21 to whatever we’re at now scoring goals, and it’s not really a reflection of how those top guys are playing. It’s how the guys that play with them are playing.

On whether the level of Alex Steen’s production is surprising:
I just told the players – 20 goals, wears number 20. Hopefully it can stay with him, not change ‘em by game. [Reporter: Does it shock you, though, that he’s got that many?] Sure. Of course it does. He’s a really good two-way player, and he’s been that his whole career. I’ll bet if you go ask him, for sure, too, if you’d have said he’d have 20, he’d be thrilled with that.

On what “sticks out” about St. Louis’ power play:
When it’s hot, it sticks out. When it’s not, it doesn’t.

On whether Matt Frattin is “good to go”:
I talked to him on the ice. He says he’s good to go. Quite honest, I’m not waiting around for somebody to find his timing, though. Hopefully he gets it – as you asked before about who plays with who. I can tell you this – he is going to dress, and hopefully he can play well enough to give us a little bit of offense and a little bit of work and a little bit of detail.