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Chat Reel: Doug Weight

New Blues C knows knows adjustment will be tough

Allsport

CNNSI Host: Welcome to today's chat with Blues center Doug Weight. Welcome, Doug, and thanks for joining us!
Doug Weight: My pleasure.

From Toosense: Being a hockey player, I'm sure nothing could beat winning the Stanley Cup. But given what's taken place in the past few weeks, winning the Olympic Gold for the U.S. would be unequivocal. Do you agree?
Doug Weight: Well, obviously with the turn of events that have recently occurred, it puts even more pride to wear the American uniform. We're going to try to make the U.S. proud.

From wildfire: Who do you think is going to be the starting goalie for the Blues this year?
Doug Weight: I think I should wait to answer that. I think Freddie [Brathwaite] and Brent [Johnson] are both great goaltenders. They're great guys and they're going to compete well off of each other. People have been critical of our goaltending and I think it's going to be on of our strengths but I'm not sure who is going to start.

From Ben Horner: (St. Louis native in Leiden, The Netherlands) What do you think it will feel like when the Blues play the Oilers in Edmonton for the first time this season?
Doug Weight: It'll be 20 games into the season so I think I'll feel very comfortable as a Blue. I spent nine seasons with the Oilers and they will always be a huge part of my career. I'll be extremely nervous and hopefully we'll come out on top.

From Doug Ferguson in Halifax, N.S.: From a player's perspective, what team do you think improved themselves the most in the offseason?
Doug Weight: I'd like to say the Blues. I think we've done some great things to make our team better. I think Detroit, getting Dominik Hasek, is a great thing for their team. I really like Chris Osgood, but Dominik is probably still the best goalie in the world and he could probably help them in the playoffs. And possibly Philadelphia.

From BubbaC in Edmonton, Alberta: Do you think it will be a tough adjustment to St. Louis coming from the wide open, fast style of the Oilers?
Doug Weight: In a way it'll be tough. It will be a different style than I'm used to. Having my experience, hopefully I can fit into the system here. It will be a different way to play but I have to make sure I'm focused on the systems that St. Louis plays make sure I'm playing the right way.

From BluesFan: What do you think of the leadership on this team, with so many former captains?
Doug Weight: I think it's great. It's a great situation. Not only do we have seven or eight ex-captains from other franchises, but we have great experience. The guys are also great. I came from a tight-knit group in Edmonton and our chemistry is great here. I think our leadership is unmatchable in the league.

From Patrick Prewitt in Lawrence, Kans.: Are you excited about playing on possibly the best line in the NHL with Young and Tkachuck?
Doug Weight: Two unbelievable wingers. I can't say enough about both guys, on and off the ice. I feel the three of us complement each other. Scotty Young has a great shot and great speed. Tkachuk is one of the top power forwards in the league. And my job is to just give them the puck and create a lot of offense. I think we have great things ahead of us.

From Chris: Mario Lemieux once said that the NHL should think about going to a four-on-four format the decrease the clutching and grabbing as well as speed up the game. Do you agree?
Doug Weight: I don't know. I'm an old-timer. I like the game the way it is. The league has a really tough job trying to constantly nip and tuck and make it better. I think four-on-four would probably eliminate a lot of the players in the league but it would make for some fun hockey. But I'd rather keep it the way it is... I'm old-school. (As much as I'd like to agree with Mario on everything.)

From bamabluesfan: I can't wait for the season to start. What player has surprised you the most as far as being better than you thought they would be now that you have been around the team a while?
Doug Weight: I think probably Brent Johnson. I knew he was big, but I'm impressed with his raw talent in the net. It's been a pleasant surprise.

From BluesFan: What are your thoughts about the Blues letting Turgeon go via free agency and do you think we still need a second line center?
Doug Weight: I can't really touch on the fact that they let Turgeon go. He did great things here. I know he was well liked by his teammates. I don't exactly know what happened. I think one of the things that we've been underrated at would be our depth. From our second, third and fourth lines, we've got guys that can score more than 20. Dan Corso and Sebastien Bordeleau have played very well in preseason so I'm not worried about our offensive depth at all.

CNNSI Host: That's all the time we have today with Doug Weight. Thank you for joining us and good luck this season.
Doug Weight: Thank you ... I appreciate it.

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