He doesn't shortchange the coach or his teammates on any of his shifts. He's a character player and a big part of this organization. This deal, we believe, is simply one step toward a long-term contract with Brenden.
Jeremy brings a physical dimension to our hockey club and will fit in nicely with our team. He is a gritty player that has some valuable NHL experience, both in the regular season and the playoffs, and we are happy to have him.
Janne is a veteran player who will help upgrade the depth of our defensive corps. He has a great deal of experience at the NHL level and has proven he can play at a high level in this league.
My belief was that I had to put my stake in the ground and build the team around one player. It's not that one player can win or lose for us, but if you have to put a statement. And Marty is my statement player.
Willie is a veteran player who upgrades the depth of our defensive corps. He plays a solid defensive game and will be a good fit for our hockey club as we prepare for the 2006 playoffs and a chance to compete for the Stanley Cup.
These guys are going to have the opportunity to compete up until the last second. We have historical background of who we think will be there, but every training camp there is always one player who exceeds expectations and a couple players won't live up to expectations.