Brendan Shanahan Players Quotations

One of the reasons we've been so good for so long is the group of players we have are very competitive professionals. If we were the kind of team that looked at the standings and said we can take it easy tonight we wouldn't have the kind of success we've had.

Let's be honest -- the same way fans were getting bored with the game in the past, players were too. So in a game like this, with all the excitement and guys coming at you with speed, players like Chris Chelios react to that.

I can handle it. I expected it ... that a few players might make it personal with me.

I see a lot of young players today who are supposed to be the future of the game and I shake my head. Guys who dive. Guy who don't put the team first,

It definitely is going to test the depth. Hopefully these aren't serious injuries for these guys. Sometimes a little rest at this time of year can be a blessing in disguise for players like that. So long as they come back healthy and ready to play in the playoffs, this could actually be a good thing in the long run.

They do a better job at marketing their sport. NHL players are a modest group, and the NHL doesn't show our best moments on TV. Fans want to see more. We traditionally put a muzzle on right when things get exciting.

We lost a couple players and our rotation got a little messed up. We found a way to win. Obviously, this is a team on the other side that has been finding ways to win. There's no quit in Columbus. We knew they were going to come back. We maybe have to show a little bit more poise in our own end late in games.