Doug Wilson Playing Quotations

I'd like to thank Alex and Brian Lawton for notifying us of Alex's decision prior to the arbitration hearing tomorrow in Toronto. This was not unexpected and I respect Alex for making this family decision. This creates the opportunity for additional ice time for players like Marco Sturm, Niko Dimitrakos and Milan Michalek. If and when Alex decides to return to the National Hockey League, we look forward to him playing for the San Jose Sharks.

He has been successful with his experiences at several levels of play, including playing for the Czech National Team and representing the Czech Republic in the World Junior and World Championship tournaments. We feel he is ready to make the transition to professional hockey in North America.

Josh didn't do anything wrong, but this gives us some flexibility on our roster. This is the way the waiver rule should work. Players like that should be playing in this league. We had a good talk this morning.

Ultimately it is going to take a certain number of points to get in. But staying in the present, I'm less concerned with that number and I'm more concerned with us playing the way we can. If we play the way we're capable of playing, the points will take care of themselves.

They had a team meeting which was at the right time by the right people. And what was said in that room stays in that room amongst the players. But at the end of the day what came out is: 'We're playing for each other.' I think that had a dramatic impact in that the players took over the team as they should. And they have not let each other down.