2007 – Entrevue avec Kristopher Letang

Interviewer: It’s said that when a player gets into the NHL, all they really try to do it stay there. Is that the case with you?
Kris: Well I know that when I got a taste of it I definitely wanted to stay. But there are decisions that you can’t have any impact on except for playing, but when the team sends you back there’s nothing you can do about it. For the moment, I’m trying to improve my game here.
Interviewer: You did play a bit in Pittsburgh. How did that go?
Kris: It went well. I did end up getting two goals and really tried to improve my game defensively and I think that it went very well. I didn’t get a lot of time on the ice, but that’s normal for a rookie.
Interviewer: And how did the Penguins like your game?
Kris: They said I still need to improve my game, that there wasn’t a lot missing, but I did still need to improve, and that’s pretty much it.
Interviewer: What thing in particular do you need to improve on?
Kris: Defensively, just staying the defensive zone.
Interviewer: You’ve had a good season so far. Do you think you helped improve the points?
Kris: I think they need me offensively. I think that of course defensively I need to improve, but I think I really need to stay offensive. I’m trying to combine the two.
Interviewer: You find that you need to play a big role offensively and defensively. You play a pretty big part in this team.
Kris: I play 35 minutes per game, so I need to be good defensively and not just offensively either, that’s really important.
Interviewer: This year you participated in the World Juniors. How was it to represent you country as the captain?
Kris: It was an honour for me to wear the “C” during the tournament. It was really an honour. It could have been anyone else, but they chose me because I was a good example on and off the ice.
Interviewer: What kind of objectives do you have for next year?
Kris: I’m going to prepare myself this summer. I’m going to be training like I was last year. I’ll be training on the ice with my trainer. I think it’s all about getting to camp and working hard.
Interviewer: So you have a chance of getting into the NHL next season?
Kris: Well… I don’t know. I’ll prepare myself and we’ll see what happens.
Interviewer: Since you’ve come back to junior leagues, what have you missed most about the NHL?
Kris: It’s completely different. The game isn’t the same. But off the ice it’s the dinners, the restaurants, the hotels, going on an airplane and not the bus, that’s pretty much the big difference.
Interviewer: If we look at the Penguins, there are lots of young players that are very promising. Can you see yourself being one of those in the next few years?
Kris: With the players that have it’s a very nice team with talented young players. I think it’ll be trying to keep the same guys there. ‘Cause we know that tough now with the salary cap.
Interviewer: Finally, Kristopher, what are your goals with the Foreurs until the end of the season?
Kris: I think it’ll be to improve our attack. Just trying to improve the team every day, every practice, every game, and we’re going to go as far as we can.