hisgirlfriday
Moderator
- Jun 9, 2013
- 16,742
- 184
Most interesting comments from this Q&A with ESPN:
Q. What did it mean to you for the team to petition to get your name on the Stanley Cup?
A. It’s the story I’ll tell my grandkids. To me, I think the ultimate leader in hockey growing up was Mark Messier. I think Taser [Jonathan Toews] is on the path to where they talk about the leadership quality that he has. Over time, I don’t think there’s going to be a difference when you’re discussing a true leader whether it’s Messier or Jonathan Toews. Taser has a lot of hockey left in him. I think he took a huge step in the last few years. It’s amazing to me at the age of 25. It took me to my 30s to realize to have a bigger picture and not just think of yourself for the next game. You want your teammates to do well, but you’re focusing only on yourself. It takes guys longer to have a bigger picture. He has that. He knows he can’t win with just him and him and (Patrick Kane). He knows he has to have that group.
We have the same agent. It was told to me once that Taser went to Stan [Bowman] and said, ‘They don’t have to put Captain on the Cup if it means helps getting Jammer’s name on it. If that helps make room, I'll do it.’ I guess Stan’s response was, ‘You don’t have to do that. His name will be on the Cup.’ My point is – that’s something I’ll tell my grandkids. Can you believe how selfless this guy is and what a leader this guy was? It’s amazing.
Q. Do you think Toews should be captain for Team Canada?
A. I think why not. You can’t go wrong with him or Sidney Crosby. I would say that he should be the captain.
Q. Did it ever bother you that Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville played Ben Smith instead of you in the Stanley Cup finals?
A. I would like to think that would be handled a little bit different if they had to that over again. Those feelings pale in comparison to winning the Stanley Cup and being a part of a group to do it. I have a pretty good perspective of my career and what kind of player I was. If I had finished my season with the Colorado Avalanche, not a single person would be interested in what Jamal Mayers is doing in retirement. I got to end my career playing on the best team in the world. I focus on my contributions and being a good teammate. I focus on all those things versus to thinking about what could have been and should have been.
