“Need to Learn to Dial it in” | Don Granato After Practice

“Need to Learn to Dial it in” | Don Granato After Practice

How much has you know what he went through on the way up here shaped him and helped him reach this moment as far you know starting ECHL and stops and starts and you know limited action because of Co stuff like that I think that the guys that are successful every

Single thing on the way up shaped them I think they they used every um everywhere they went as an opportunity um as a means to get better so you know if his rout route started in the ECHL obviously came from Europe um he had a cultural acclamation period um

But all of that you know the guys that use all of that as H positive fuel are the ones that are make careers for themselves and anybody that dwells on it doubt you know um the glass is half full or half empty type of an attitude negative attitude is probably not

Developing so I think he’s used it all um you know I know his time in Rochester everybody loved having him there uh spoke very highly of his character work ethic there and that’s all the way up so I think he’s used every everywhere he’s been to to help him become better

Because of his daily his daily Outlook St Louis’s Personnel have changed the coach has changed but is the identity of that group the way that what you can expect when you play that team sort of the same or is it a little different the players the players are

Still there and they play you know they’ve they’ve played a certain way for for a long time and um you’re looking more at the characteristics of their top players um they’re dangerous players and they’ve got a lot of them um they’re still a very um they’ve always been an exceptionally skilled transition team

And they still are you look at that game in St Louis you did get four goals on them unfortunately you didn’t win that game but you had as I recall you had a lot of shots 45 46 something like that you put a lot of pressure on the

Goenda U on the other side um I felt we were felt the game felt really easy we generated a lot especially early and I thought we we um let up or played careless um thinking that you know we were in a good Rhythm creating chances

And uh in scoring and you let your guard down against a team that can execute specifically on the transition like they do that was a mistake um so you know that that that’s the way they play they’re they’re an exceptional transition team and you you’ve gotta

Respect that and um make sure you you know respect it to make sure you you defend defend the details that need to be taken care of to to defend against that do you feel about the season Owen Powers having to this point uh he is coming off a plateau that he’s been

On and getting to the next one so I think he’s he’s gone through some struggles and challenges uh but he’s I think he’s on the other side of that and uh all of that is when you you know when you come out of that you’re going to be

A better player than you ever were and I think that’s where he’s at I think he’s the last uh you know 10 games or so he looks like a different guy than he did the first part of the year and uh now he has more hindsight more knowledge more

Experience as he comes out of that so um I like where he’s at right now it comes to ER you talk often about being you want your players to be and your coaches what you better is Eric kind of a good example of that I was just chatting with said of

Course he’s not happy go on La but he’s not looking back he’s looking okay now I get to listen and now I to be and be ready it sounds like he’s great is he a good example of what you’re talking about that he’s just in the moment now

And not worried about he can’t change what perfect example of it you know that’s how he’s had to live his career um and and survive and and players and there’s hundreds and hundreds of players first of all that have been on waivers uh that are throughout throughout the league

Even this year I’m sure it’s it’s hundreds of players that have been on waivers and you’ve got to deal with that you know there there’s only so many guys that are you know the top three or four or five or six guys on each team uh maybe those guy maybe those guys go

Through their careers without something like that but but um you know the elite of the elite but I’d say 80% of the guys in the league you’re you you’re how you handle those things is whether you’ll have ever actually play in this league or not you know there’s there’s

Thousands of guys that aren’t in this league that are talented enough to be in this league but they couldn’t handle those things stay in the moment stay focused grind through it not allow their confidence to fall they just couldn’t do that it had nothing to do with their

Hockey ability it had to do with how they handled the situation and uh Eric has has persevered uh through lots of challenges through his career um and he’s gotten better as a result better handling it and better staying focused and that’s why he’s still here and that’s why he’s effective so very good

Job by him what do you see from Jord green that you to give opportunity on the power to try help you guys he is his situational awareness is is is combined with experience I mean he he’s had so much NHL experience now that he recognized his situation you put him in

The bumper spot in the power play he knows exactly the key attributes that a bumper needs to do and in that situation um so uh and then he moves to netfront knows the key you know when to move to netfront why to move to netfront how to

Play in that front um based on the situation delene has the puck Thompson has the puck it moved here so um experience um obviously he we know he’s a he’s a you know his athleticism his skill those are the other things but The Experience um allows allows us as

Coaches to put him in different situations he just picks up on it right away he was a good player in Minnesota but this season you’ve it seems that you’ve gradually added more responsibility You’ given more trust to him when you’ve seen how he’s taken advantage that how he’s improved and

Added to his game at the age that he’s at the level experience what does it do to the rest of the group to see like this guy’s 27 28 years old and he’s not he’s looking ahead he’s looking to improve he’s not just yeah he’s a great role model um he’s a

Role model for for everybody on the team really um you know guys in his peer group or age area you guys younger even guys older the way he plays he prepares very well for practices he prepares for games uh my trust in him has been it’s

Not grown it’s been what it is um I’ve given him more opportunity but the trust has always been there because of those things uh in consistency so he he’s a he’s a big part of things obviously Health has has been a challenge for him uh specifically since we you know from

The moment we traded for him he was dealing with stuff even through last season that um and then this year you know a little little banged up here and there um but but yes he is uh um he has gotten more been given more responsibility um and and I think he’s

Shown um as a positive role model that that kind of leads he’s an he’s an initiative taking guy that shows guys leads the way this is is the way we need to play this is the way we direction we need to go and he does those things with confidence and

Hindsight expound that how he how he’s got himself out of this whatever call slump or whatever because it’s I mean sure it’s Unique for him he probably never went through something like this maybe that long to be able to get out of it just could you maybe explain what you

Saw I saw what’s common with with lots of players under his circumstances I mean you’re talking about the number one pick in the draft having a an exceptional rookie year look you know there’s there’s other guys at one Rookie of the Year and and you know history

That they have a tough time the next year they’re challenge the next year it’s not as easy and you know you you you have such a good season like Owen did last year and you you sometimes get ahead of yourself or you get out of the

Moment um and and this league is Harsh on those that don’t stay in the moment I mean and I think you if it’s your first time going through it and you’re certainly first time going through it at this level um you know it’s a harsh reality that it

Takes you a while to realize oh my God I’m not dialing into just what I need to do and you’re again he he’s a player that’s judging compared to other players around the league because of where he’s picked lots of guys if you’re if you’re picked in the first round and Dylan

Cousins went through this you’re you’re you’re almost compared to the guy that was drafted ahead of you or the guy that was drafted behind you and even though he’s on another team and everybody talks about it did they get the right pick did is this guy the right pick is that guy

The right pick and a lot of that stuff is it just it needs to just go away and it takes time for it to go away um but play those players are going to have to deal with it because everybody keeps bringing it up to them they’re always

Compared to a guy that’s not even here in this city uh every night and you know dalen’s compared to the guy on another team and that guy had three points tonight why didn’t delene have three points tonight and it pulls you out of the moment

Uh so I think for Owen he’s he’s um acclimated to that it’s not going away and more dialed in on what he needs to do and has a greater sense of objective and a greater you know vision for what he needs to do would you correlate those

Struggles that Dylan had and Owen had to the fact that they just signed big contracts and they put sort of the self- opposed pressure on themselves yes they have that is a big one I mean Owen didn’t sign till training camp you know that’s so how how could look at the

Contract that was signed you think that wasn’t on your mind during Camp I mean it’s your lifechanging life-altering thing and it’s you know so yeah it’s but players all over the league are dealing with this you got to learn how to deal with it better than the next guy we just

Talked about comry he he’s learned to deal with his circumstances better than the other goalies that are no longer in the league um and he’s become exceptional at at you know staying dialed in and focused and you know players need to learn that I mean this

Is a this is a new level like I said you know for for dalen the moment Rasmus dalen came in this league he was compared to to everybody else that’s not even in Buffalo or who we just played against every night and and that’s a lot

To take on for young guys and sort out and you know to to be able to learn how to dial back in to get in the moment and it’s a process for everybody um and it is for for it is for all the guys I mentioned

Head coach Don Granato speaks to the media following practice on Friday, February 9 ahead of their game with the St. Louis Blues. Granato speaks on the development and play of goaltender, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. He also previews their next game against the Blues and what can be taken away from their last meeting.

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