On the start of camp
"We're very excited. We haven't been on the ice yet but from the fitness testing results I've seen so far it obvious the guys have put it a tremendous amount of work this summer and are a very committed group, from the veterans to the first year guys that have never really been through this before. Really looking forward to seeing the young guys and how they play tomorrow within there own groups so they can get the butterflies out of there system and make them feel comfortable. On Thursday we'll move them into teams with the veterans. I think with the veterans, in talking with them the past 2 days, it's been a long summer. I's a real tight group and I'm interested to see how we work through this training camp and into next weekend into Tri City. We're about a week behind compared to everybody else but at the same time I think for us in the long run is going to be good."
On building on last years' great 2nd half of the season
"You gotta be careful in that you don't bring that up because last year is last year. For whatever reason we did finish strong but that has nothing to do with what we're going to accomplish here moving forward. It's making sure our guys understand taking it day by day, making sure we are putting one foot forward ahead of each other and working towards the end of the year, in taking the proper steps to get better every day. We want to improve on a daily basis. Once training camp starts we won't bring up last year because you can't dwell on the past and you have to make sure we are moving forward on a day-to-day basis."
On core group that is a tight group
"It's a big thing for us because the culture that has been established here over the past 15 years is very important. You can see it from the 20-year olds this year and from the 2nd and 3rd year players here, and I think it makes for a good foundation as far as where we want to go. We just have to make sure every day we are getting better and we're living in the moment and not looking too far ahead."
On any special message to the players before camp
"No message. We've been in contact throughout the summer and they understand that it's a marathon and not a sprint. Understand every day we need to get better as a group and understand also that each and every guy is a special player in here and each and every guy can bring something very special to the table. The biggest thing for these guys, and you saw this morning on the track is that once they were finished they all stuck together and they were all with each other, it's a matter of really getting the group to understand that they are a year older and they are a year more mature and we need to set our short term goals really high."
On Propects
"I think we are very happy with our 97 draft and 98 draft. We're very excited for that. I'm not going to name any names, but at the same time we seem to very confident with the young guys that have come in, whether it's a guy who is going to make the team or go back play another year. It's one of those things where we're back on the upward trend again for our young prospects, there's a lot of skill and I think that's a good sign."
On Mike Dyck and Jay Henderson
"It would be really tough for Jay to coach this team by himself, there isn't anybody I don't think that could come in here and do that. With Jerry (Bancks) moving on to Kimberley and us not making that a full-time commitment in that position, I thought it was really important between Jeff (Chynoweth), myself and Garnet (Kazuik) that someone with experience came in and help Jay out. At the same time Jay's in charge. Jay's the guy that's going to be in charge here come December but we just felt that rather than hire somebody in that position that didn't have any experience just to come in and push pucks, we felt it was very important to have somebody with experience, that had the time, that we knew as an organization and I know personally, that we could trust to come in and really bridge the gap when I'm gone and we really feel that Mike's the guy to do that."