Quote Roundup: Pens-Canucks
ON SKATING WITH THE TEAM:
Hagelin: "It was good to be on the ice today, that's for sure. Felt good out there. It's one of those things where there's no timetable. I'm not going to discuss my symptoms here, but I felt good out there today. I'm a positive guy, I just try to battle through it. It's just one of those things you try to get better every day."
ON MALKIN'S POTENTIAL RETURN:
Crosby: "You can't replace Geno. I think that getting him back just makes us that much more dangerous. I think everybody can fall into more of their usual roles, maybe, in some sense. Even with Geno back we've still got some guys out, so I'm sure there will be a little bit of juggling. But I think just getting him back will definitely help us."
ON MISSING THREE SPEED GUYS FROM THE LINEUP (HAGELIN, RUST AND SHEARY):
Hornqvist: "We still have to play with the roster we have in this room right now. Yeah, we lose some speed guys, but that means we got to move the puck quicker if we're going to play with speed. I think the last few games we've been turning the puck over way too many times in the neutral zone and that can't happen when you don't have those speed guys in the lineup. We just have to make sure we get it in at the dots and out at the line and go from there."
Sullivan: "It's the next man in line. That's the only approach we can take, is we've got to plug people into those spots and they've got to get it done for us. It's opportunities for guys to play more significant roles, to step in and find ways to help us win. I think fortunately for us, we feel like we have depth. Not just with our roster, but with our whole organization. You've seen it with some of the players that have come up from Wilkes-Barre and helped our team have success here. Obviously those are three key players that are hard to replace. But we've got to find ways here to win without them and we feel we have capable guys."
ON THE YOUNG GUYS LIKE GUENTZEL AND ARCHIBALD:
Sullivan: "I think when young guys come up and they bring some energy and enthusiasm to the game the way they do, it's contagious. These guys are excited to be here. They want to do well, they want to make an impact on their careers and on this team. So I think that youthful enthusiasm is a great thing. It's a dynamic that helps a team win. I think it's great for the environment and I think it's contagious. I thought when Jake came up, he brought that enthusiasm to his game. Archie brought it as well. Last year it was a similar circumstance with the guys when they came up and did what they did. I think that's part of what makes a good organization competitive, when you have that internal push and you have that constant flow of young players challenging for roster spots and positions. I think that's a healthy internal competition that keeps everybody at their best."
ON BATTLING THROUGH INJURIES:
Crosby: "We've done a good job of getting through as best we can. At the same time, we've also done a good job of also not accepting that just getting by is okay. I think we expect a lot more of ourselves. I think that's a good thing and we've got to make sure down the stretch here we're playing the right way."
ON GETTING THE POWER PLAY GOING:
Hornqvist: "We worked on it (Monday). We have to shoot more and then move for each other. I think we're staying in our spots right now and it seems like that doesn't really work. We have to move around, almost play like a 5-on-5, and take what they give us. We can't have our set plays going. Just move and work for each other."
