Hatakka, Nosek, Lindy Ruff Pre-Game

Hatakka, Nosek, Lindy Ruff Pre-Game

During what was the break for these guys you were able to go back down to UDA but you come up here right away again going back into the lineup what does that mean to you to you know have made an impact like that of course I’m happy I I can

Play my own game here and uh same way as uh in the NHL than I play in the AHL I think uh that’s that’s been the positing thing for me the whole season and just to like have the coaches you know say like okay yes you were playing there

When we were on the break but we want you back here what does that mean to you from what you’ve shown so far this means a lot of course like I can like always said I can play the same way in here than I play in the AA and uh it’s it’s

Made me a lot for me and I it just show show me how work I have like how hard I have worked uh and yeah what what do you sort of like about that combination working with Colin uh I think it’s been good like uh last game against the Tampa I think we

Had very solid game together and uh he’s older he can help me a lot with all the stuff and I can ask any question about anything and he always have answer for that and I think that’s a big part of our game too and what have you liked

About maybe obviously you haven’t played a ton of games yet here but the progression of you know being thrown in playing a lot of minutes what have you seen from your game in that level uh I honestly I just Tred to like uh shift by shift do my work and earn that next

Shift again and uh I try to not think too much and just play all game talked earlier in the week when you got that first practice in but to be able to you know come back in the lineup tonight what what does that mean to you right

Now with all the hard work You’ put in yeah it means a lot I’m excited and uh can’t wait to for the back drop and uh just able to be back on the ice and play the game it’s great how important was it that you guys had those two two days of

Practice beforehand just to sort of get that Rhythm right know we talked about practice not quite the same as that game Rhythm yeah it’s nice uh after the break there a couple practices in and uh we have another day off tomorrow so uh we have plenty of energy for tonight and

Hopefully we show up and uh win a game and what do you sort of feel about coming back and the the work that you’ve done um what’s that sort of excitement level for you well it’s it’s big excitement I just uh I have to uh keep

Myself calm a little bit and then get over over over excited and uh just keep the things simple and play play my game I’ll be fine think actually met um yeah the challenge in your first year with a team being hurt like this how hard is it to

Like feel part of the team what were you doing to try and still feel like you were part of the team when you were just kind of becoming part of the team and you had all these early early injuries yeah it’s it’s tough when you when you

Heard that uh it’s mentally for sure tough and uh it’s kind of uh you’re outside of the group a little bit I’m not going to lie but uh I try to be here as as much as want as as much as I can with the guys and talk with them when I

Can and uh when they on Roll I was just with other guys injured here so yeah it’s it’s not it’s not optimal but I always try to to be positive and then stay positive and talk to guys and even if I’m hurt or not yeah you’ve been in a

Lot of playoff races before so seeing where this team is at with what 36 games or whatever uh left what does this group need to do to to get up in the rankings and get a playoff spot I think we need to clear up a little bit the D Zone and

Uh we always can score a goal I think we have plenty of skills uh up front and uh we just seems to be more defensively better defensively and uh don’t get score on and uh I think if we clear that then we’ll be we’ll be fine and just win

A couple couple games in a row it helps us a little bit get get confidence up and it’s stuff like that little details and just focus on uh on a d zone and ozone will come from the good D Zone I think um Lindy to be able to have Thomas

Back a NOK back tonight what does that do for you guys right down the middle there you know just a a veteran guy that uh you know familiar with how you play and uh he’s got years of experience U you know playing against good lines and

Good team so he’s going to add us that veteran leadership to have some Terry come back and uh be paired up there with um Miller what has he shown you guys in those first few games that he’s played that allows you to keep playing him right now I I think he skated well

Defended well I mean if you look at uh the first thing you have to accomplish is you got to be able to play well on your own end and I think he’s done that um he’s been able to handle his speed coming into the Zone um you know getting back quick for

Puck so um you know Lefty righty it uh keeps us where we want to be where it’s easier to move puck in shoot Puck from the point what will it like what will it be like to see Milwood on the other side and so you know especially for some of

Those guys who have been with him for a while um and how do you sort of guard against a player like miles that you’ve you’ve known quite well you know I think we understand he’s going to be pretty excited um playing in the game and you

Know a longtime devil and you know we understand everybody that comes back to their previous team wants to have a good night and we got to make sure that uh again uh he’s got great speed you can’t let him get a step on you you spoke with

The team at the end of the skate there what would what message are you imparting uh you know I usually talk after our video meeting in the morning I decided to go back to the oldfashioned on Ice uh so we just talked about how we

Need to play coming out of the break uh what’s going to be important playing against Colorado and uh we have to play Fast uh I talked a little bit about the third period in Tampa where we are on our toes we created turnovers uh and really it was a fiveman effort to get

Back in the game and um playing defense sometimes is the easiest part is if you can keep in the offensive zone and uh for the most part that’s uh what we were doing uh and then part two was you know stay away from the big mistakes Lind

Jack was out there in a regular contact Jersey what’s his status for tonight just keeps getting closer um you know today another step closer and uh get a good workout in and you know today uh tomorrow is a day off for the team so we’ll evaluate where he’s at and uh

We’ll we’ll see for the Calgary game how about no who’s on the practice ring what’s uh his status there uh just uh you know just getting back into skating so um he’s progressing Andy All Things Considered are you happy with where the team is right now AF flat still in still

In the race as maybe players start to get a little more healthy and trickle into the lineup you know what as a coach you’re never happy I don’t think you don’t ever find yourself I mean uh We’ve had to make a lot of adjustments to our

Game um there’s have been a lot of moving pieces uh probably disappointed that we’ve had you know points within our grip in different games and even you know fighting our way back into that Tampa game and you know making the big mistake we did to give him that fourth

Goal um you know that kind of Mars any accomplishment you’ve had in the period so uh you know we’re looking at trying to play a a 60-minute game that’ll give us a chance to beat a really good team with you know knowing that you know our

Our Young D are going to be under a lot of stress tonight you can’t rush the process when they’re healthy they’ll play but you know is there a danger of a mindset setting oh wait till we’re at full strength you’ve got 30 something games left you can’t wait no no no there

Nobody’s waiting you’ve got to you’ve got to take the opportunity as a player when somebody else is out to use that as your opportunity to help the team team win hockey games and that’s as a coach you deal with the players you have you don’t talk about the players

You don’t have L I know it’s a couple of days old now and you know kind of off topic but um your thoughts on the return of NHL players in the Olympics 2026 uh you know I think it’s great that uh every country you know gets to represent

Themselves it was a great experience for me and I think uh every player would well welcome that opportunity to have an opportunity to participate uh so I think it’s a great thing that the announcement the the players are back and the teams are back in

0:00 – Santeri Hatakka
1:38 – Tomas Nosek
4:03 – Lindy Ruff