There was a time there in the mid '80s to the '90s there that we played six finals, three Canada Cups, we were playing hockey almost 10 months a year for a long time there.
Growing up in Canada, most kids from Canada dream of playing in the NHL, and they also hope one day to be on a Stanley Cup team. That was a big goal.
That's something USA Hockey has been trying to do for a long time is prove that we can play with the Canadians and the Russians and the Swedes and Finns consistently on a tournament basis.
When I got drafted I just wanted to play one game in the NHL. I didn't really care anything about winning.
If I was on a third or fourth line I would probably be in the NHL, because you don't have to produce every night.
You do not play hockey for good seasons. You play to win the Stanley Cup. It has to be the objective.
On the personal level, it's hard for a goalie. You don't get awards for save percentage or anything like that. Your work is really put into how many wins you can get, how many times you can get your team in the playoffs and all that. So I took a lot of pride in winning.
I'm in the NHL and I'll take whatever reputation I can to get here and to stay here.
When you win in Montreal, it's the best place in the world to play hockey.
But once I left home to play hockey, it was a commitment to be the best I could be and try to make the NHL.
Maybe playing in the NHL would be pretty nice, but that's more of a pipe dream for me.
It's been a good hockey life for me anyway.
I remember starting hockey at age 7 and going to my first tryout and dreaming about how great it would be, and it's been even better. These 20 years in the NHL, it's been better.
Edmonton has such a great history. It makes coming to the rink special to know those former players wore the jersey and had so much success here.
To succeed in hockey, you need teamwork.
I've been lucky to be surrounded by some good hockey minds.
Listen, everything I have in my life is because of the NHL and because of hockey, and I love the game and I loved every minute of being a player, I loved coaching, I loved being involved in the NHL.
It's an honour and a thrill and a privilege just to play in the NHL.
Halifax is a big hockey city. Everyone loves the game here and really enjoys anyone who has had success.
When I was 5 years old, I told my grandmother I was going to play hockey in the Olympics. Fifteen years later, I competed in my first Olympics.
Winning the Stanley Cup in '99 was a dream come true. I'll never forget it.
You get drafted by an NHL team, you're kind of living the good life. So, I mean for me, it's all awesome.
Dedicating your life to something, dedicating time to something, ending up achieving it and maybe doing better than that. Me personally, that would be a Stanley Cup. That's something I've dreamed of my whole life. I think that's why every hockey player at this level plays.
None of the boys from my town made it in the N.H.L.
I started playing hockey late and it was unclear until the very last moment if I was talented or not. But it turned out well.
