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| Paul STASTNY (STAS-nee, PAWL) |
Colorado Avalanche |
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On John Michael Liles giving him 26, his father Peter's number: "I didn't want to say anything to anyone of course, but I don't think a lot of guys knew what that meant to me. My dad wore No. 29 for one year but he played most of his career and most of his big games with the number 26 and it meant so much to me to be able to put it on. But that just shows you the kind of guys I'm playing with. I'm really lucky to be playing with people who would think about those things and make that kind of gesture. I'm lucky and honoured to be playing with teammates like that."
On avoiding the sophomore jinx: "I think it's more of the type of pressure you put on yourself, what you do mentally. I just came in focused on the new season and tried to help the team win."
On his good start to the 2007-08 season: "My dad always preached to me to forget about last year, that every year is always a bigger year. You can't look back and be happy with what you did and keep progressing... I didn't really look at it as going into my second season; I just take it one game at a time. If I have a couple of good games, I forget about it and look forward to the next one. If I'm doing bad, I forget about it and look forward to the next one. It's a long season, anything can happen."
On learning from veterans Joe Sakic and Ryan Smyth: "Just the way they present themselves and carry themselves on and off the ice. They talk a lot, but they're both two loose guys that are having fun out there working hard. I learn a lot just watching them."
On playing for the U.S. instead of Canada: "I could play either one, but I think I had maybe a better opportunity (with the U.S.) or I think the U.S. wanted me and maybe looking to the future, my brother (Yan) already played for the U.S. It's always a dream of ours to play together and maybe one day we'll play together in an international event like that. But obviously the U.S. gave me an opportunity and you can never turn that down."
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