Article de NHL.com sur Bryan Smolinski

Voici une entrevue réalisée par le site de la LNH nhl.com avec Bryan Smolinski qui explique ses sentiments et la vision qu'il va avoir de son rôle envers le Canadien de Montréal. Très intéressant comme article. Attention, le texte est en anglais...


After skating with the Blackhawks and Canucks in 2006-07, Bryan Smolinski is heading east to the Montreal Canadiens.

Bryan Smolinski is preparing for his 14th NHL season, which has been split among seven teams. Still, Smolinski, who qualifies for “seasoned veteran” status remains full of nervous excitement and anticipation with regards to joining the Montreal Canadiens this season.
Even though Smolinski has played for two Original 6 teams in Chicago and Boston and has been a member of another Northeast Division team in Ottawa, he knows that nothing will compare to the feeling of tugging a Canadiens jersey and stepping on the Bell Centre Ice in Montreal this fall.

“It’s going to be a great honor to wear that CH on my chest,” Smolinski said. “The Canadiens are one of the best organizations in sports. They’re an Original 6 team and have always been great ambassadors of hockey. I’m proud that I can be part of that.”

As an opposing player, Smolinski said playing in Montreal always got the juices flowing. Now as a Canadiens player, he can’t even imagine what it will feel like when he plays for the Montreal crowd and not against them.

“Look, this place is a hockey Mecca,” Smolinski said of Montreal. “This is one of the loudest places to play in and I always looked forward to playing here in front of those fans. They’re a great and smart hockey crowd. To play on that stage has always been a pleasure and now I get to do it 41 times a season, that’s going to be unbelievable.”

While Smolinski is looking forward to playing before a raucous Bell Centre, he also is very aware of the flip side. Namely that Montreal fans are so passionate and know the game so well, those cheers of support can just as easily become boos. Canadiens fans expect the best and they will let their players know when they think the players aren’t putting forth their best efforts.

“If you’re a player, you should want that kind of atmosphere,” Smolinski said. “We’re being paid to play this game and we should be expected to play at our best every game. That’s fine with me if they let us know when we’re not doing that.”

Smolinski knows that there will also be another group that will remind him and his teammates that their play may be slipping. The Montreal media is known to have some of the most ruthless reporters in sports and Smolinski is prepared for the worse, but he also believes that while the Montreal press may be harsh, they can also be fair.

“I had a taste of it in Ottawa and you just can’t read into it much,” Smolinski said. “We’re going to have up’s and downs and that’s part of the game. They have a job to do and so do we. If we do our job, then, yeah, they might be some who still write negative stuff, but you know what, sometimes that’s part of the fun. The fact that they talk and write about hockey so much, 24/7, 365 days a year, that’s part of what makes this place such a hockey town. We just need to win and give them something good to talk about.”

As Smolinski pointed out, there’s not much he or his teammates can do to control the media except win. The game that Smolinski plans to play is one of speed, hustle, and versatility, while also becoming a leader and positive influence on some of the younger players.

“I’ve always tried to help out in any situation,” Smolinski said. “Whether it is faceoffs, penalty kill or power play, I do my best to be a role player. I’ve been fortunate to play with lots of great players and learned a lot in my career. Hopefully, I can make that an asset here and help out where I’m needed, whether that’s in certain game situations or with the younger players. I’m here to do my best and help this team.”

Smolinski is getting antsy for training camp. He recently found a place to live by the old Forum and he is ready to start this new chapter of his career.

“This is kind of surreal really, because I am just really psyched to be playing in such a passionate environment,” he said. “To be playing in the Northeast Division again, with the Montreal-Boston, Montreal-Toronto, or Buffalo and Ottawa, this is going to be fun. This is what it’s about.”

Source: http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=335978
Article de: James Murphy

Smolinski sera un joueurs très utile au CH!Je croit qu'il surprendra énormément!

Je me souviens de ces tirs précis durant les Power Play des Canucks cette hiver,je trouvait sa incroyable que se gars ne tirait pas plus souvent!Le problème ces que depuis qu'il est partie de Ottawa il n'a jamais joué sur un des 2 premier trio,outre le début de saison passé,avant que Havlat se blesse.

Smolinski ces assuré de rester avec le CH pour la saison,demandant une Clause de Non-Échange.Je croit qu'il désirait vraiment rejoindre le CH.

Un joueurs avec un bon Leadership et avec l'expérience de la LNH.Il doit avoir beaucoup d'amis dans la LNH,et s'il est bien traité par la foule et la Direction du CH,je croit qu'il pourrait parler en bien du CH à ces amis!

Peu importe,de voir Smolinski aussi excité de mettre le gilet du CH m'incite à scander son nom!Se joueurs semble avoir le bon caractère pour plaire au fans du CH!

Smolinski va être aimé de tout le monde...en plus de faire environ 40-50 points par année, c'est un joueur qui frappe beaucoup et qui va chercher la rondelle et surtout, qui ne lâche jamais sa proie. Cet article ne fait que prouver qu'il a vraiment hâte de joueur sous l'électricité de la foule du Centre Bell.