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Owen Nolan Press Conference from Dec. 16, 1999
Posted: Monday December 20, 1999 04:34 PM
Question: I am just curious what do you attribute your rebirth as a scorer to this season? Owen Nolan: Well, I think there are a couple of things. Obviously, Vinny Damphousse has really complemented my game. I have always said that we have had a lot of goal-scorers on our team but no one really to set them up. Our team went out and got Damphousse and Sundstrom this year; both great playmakers and it's really added to our offensive punch. I think overall our team is playing a lot better and creating more opportunities down at the other end. Question: Did you do anything different in the offseason in terms of strength and exercises or something like that? Owen Nolan: Yeah, I did a lot of mountain biking. I had a personal trainer here; worked on a lot with Jeff Friesen and Mike Rathje. We worked out at a place called Power Bodies. It really benefited my game this year so far. I feel I have got a lot more endurance, a lot more strength, and definitely a lot faster. Question: One issue at the GM meetings last week was interconference play which, for your conference, would cut down on travel. I was wondering if I could have your thoughts on that. Owen Nolan: I am sure our team would benefit from it. I think we have got probably the worse schedule in back-to-back seasons. It seems like we are always on the road and we are never home. So I think the less travel would really benefit our club. Question: I guess in a guy's career you can go from up-and-comer to being a veteran leader in a very short span of time; especially with all the under-25 guys you have got on your team, do you feel more of a sense of a leadership role? Maybe you can sort of talk about the team dynamic from that standpoint, the fact that you have got so many young guys on the team? Owen Nolan: Well, it is encouraging to find out what place we are in the standings right now and we have such a young team, so for the future as long as everyone keeps maturing and learning how to win, we should be successful for years to come. Question: Can you talk about some of those up-and-coming guys and what you see in some of the younger players? You mentioned Jeff Friesen earlier but he is just one of several. What qualities do you see in these young guys that you really like? Owen Nolan: I mean Patrick Marleau has got the speed and a great shot. He is actually starting to play a lot more aggressive now. Marco Sturm is great at protecting the puck, a very smart hockey player; sees the ice real well. Sundstrom, the same thing, he sees the ice real well; makes great plays. They just have all different qualities put together and they work real well together. Question: As years have gone on you have developed other parts of your game other than scoring. But, in turn, by making yourself a more complete player has that made you a better scorer or more dangerous goal-scorer in some ways? Owen Nolan: I don't know about that. I mean, I think it makes me better as a whole person. When I went through that scoring slump, you know, it was obviously frustrating, but I had to make sure I worked on other parts of my game. So if you are not scoring goals, then you have got to make sure defense improves and your work habits improve so I just try to round out my whole game. Now that I am scoring again, everything is staying intact. It just seems to be rolling right now. Question: In other words, when you developed those other parts of your game and maybe making yourself a better passer in some ways, did -- now other teams don't know what to expect from you. Is that in a way, an asset for you that they know you are not going to be shooting every time you get the puck? Owen Nolan: Well, I am sure every player would want to be able to do that, have other teams wondering what you are going to do - whether you shoot or pass or hit them or whatnot, it is just part of the game. But I am just trying to chip in with whatever play I think is best, whether it is shoot or pass, I think my timing has just been right on right now. Question: Kind of a two-part question. Last year when you were struggling offensively which goals weren't going in? Owen Nolan: Every one of them. Question: Were they the ones down low around the crease, or were they from the top of the circle and then sort of the follow-up to that, if you analyzed the goals that you are scoring, are you scoring on the shot from the top of the circle or because of the way they have amended the crease rule, are you getting in tight around the goalies and are you scoring those one-and-a-half-footers more? Owen Nolan: I think it is both. I scored a lot of goals shooting off the wing. Last year I know I would be hitting the post or missing the net and just -- I think from working out this season and being a lot bigger, a lot stronger, around the crease area you don't get knocked down as much so you seem to find the goal there as well. So I think it is both things. Question: Could you say what, if any, factor the return of a veteran defenseman like Gary Suter has had for the success of your team this year? Owen Nolan: Well, since I have gotten here we have needed a player like that, you know, I think every player will tell you when you get a defenseman that plays that style it helps your power play. He has really quarterbacked our power play. He is available all the time. He knows how to get the puck into their end; move the puck real well. He is just a well all-around player that really benefits our power play. Question: You mentioned Vinny Damphousse. I am wondering if you could expand on that, maybe what he brings having won a Cup in Montreal and the experience he had there playing in that pressure cooker there? Owen Nolan: Well, I think that is what they have tried to do here. They have tried to bring in guys that won on other teams. Obviously he brings that experience and I know a lot of the young guys really look up to him to see how he reacts in different situations; how he handles the pressure and stuff like that. So not only has he been great for myself but he has really helped out the young guys. Question: When you talked about going to a place called Power Bodies, what exactly did you do there and what specific exercises did you do to build up the endurance and strength and so on? Owen Nolan: What he does there, he does a lot of explosive work. It is kind of hard to describe, just different techniques. You still do the bench press and the leg press and stuff like that, but it is different techniques in how you do it. It is more working on your reaction or to work your muscles so they react quicker and stuff like that. Once you do that, then your muscle develops and gets bigger, so, we worked on that a lot and the mountain biking part really helped our endurance. Question: Did you feel that at the end of last year you really lacked some of that energy? Did you physically feel drained at the end of last season? Owen Nolan: Yeah, I don't know about the end of the season, but it really sunk in in the Playoffs last year against Colorado where I felt that I could have done more, but for some reason, just didn't have the energy; the stamina to get it done and really sunk in at that point that it wasn't going to happen again; I am going to make sure that I am ready and really worked hard this summer to make sure that that situation wouldn't come up again. Question: Seems like you don't maybe fly off the handle as much as you used to. You control your temper or anger. You don't pop people as often. Is that maturity or leadership? Can you talk about that? Owen Nolan: I have also learned in that part that you have got to learn how to pick your spots too. Right now I am the captain on the team; supposed to be a leader, so I am scoring goals. I don't need to sit in the box for five minutes and stuff like that, I'd rather be on the ice, you know, I think I'm a little more valuable helping the team out that way. But there is a time and place for everything and as the year's gone by, I have learned to pick my spots. Question: You are holding yourself back at times, are you? Owen Nolan: Well, like I said, there is a time and place for everything. Before you might do it for selfish reasons. A guy takes a cheap shot at you, you don't really think about it, you just go right back after him where maybe it is not the right time in the game for those actions. Your team might be down one or two goals, you really need to stay on the ice and get your team back into it. So as the year's went on, like I said, I have really learned to pick my spots.
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