Exit Interview – Jacob Doty
I know we talked last year and you had had a more healthy season. Uh feel like it was the same for you this year. Uh how did it feel to to definitely be able to be out there a little bit more and seemed like, you know, as far as physically it was a good year for you? Yeah, I’m uh feel pretty good. Um body held up for the most part. Um some nicks and and small stuff going on, but nothing crazy and I was able to be available every night. So, um, you know, that’s a that’s a good thing to be able to complete a full season. And were you happy with your game? Uh, for the most part, yeah. Um, I feel like I started really really well, um, which I I tend to do and and cooled off a little bit. Had a little bit of a dip um in the middle of the season. Then I think I I found my game again um, you know, the last 15 games or so, 10 10 games and and was really contributing some good minutes and and, you know, affecting the game. So I think overall for the most part I I am happy with my year but um I’d like to be a little more consistent. I think this year’s leadership group obviously some similar faces some new faces to it but throughout your time here it seems like and you know I’ve only been the last four years but seems like that’s a really big emphasis on from management bringing in the right type of leaders. Uh, and as someone who’s been here for a while, do you feel like that really makes a difference on the ice for the team that they’re kind of really making sure they bring in the right type of people here? Yeah, definitely. Um, I think that’s a a a credit to management and and the people making decisions on on who to bring in here because since I’ve been here, we haven’t had a bad apple at all. Um, and you know, our our leadership group is tends to be a big one, which I think is a good thing as well. And you’re exactly right, like it’s it’s been good people coming in here year after year, and this year is no different. Um, you know, we had a lot of new faces, but um they came in and and found their footing quickly and were competitive, very competitive, and I think that’s the biggest thing, and and that’s what you want um from your leadership group, and I think we did a good job of that. Like you said, a lot of new faces, a lot of young guys. Did anyone impress you most out of those young guys? And you just think that they’re going to be projected to be just great based off of how they are acting at a young young age. Yeah, I think every one of them impressed me. Um to be honest, they they were thrown into some big situations, especially on the back end when we had some guys go down and um you know, the young guys had to step up and and they did. Um I think you go through through out our whole lineup. Um the young guys were a big a big part of it because there’s so many of them and and that’s a testament to them and you know I think they got better every night. Um you know I think if you look guy that stands out to me right now just cuz maybe recency bias is is Boother coming in after his injury and you know playing a couple games and sliding right into the playoffs. I thought he was great. Um especially coming off an injury like that and DVO same thing. Um, I think, you know, he he maybe wasn’t sure what to expect coming in into the season and I think by the end of the year, he was playing good minutes for us and and I think he really improved over the year and go down the line. I mean, we can keep going. I I could sit here and talk for 15 minutes, but um, Chrommy, Frankie took huge steps, I think, and on down the line, so I think that’s a good thing. and um look for big steps from those guys over the summer as well. Seemed like the team was pretty healthy down the stretch and so an early playoff loss can’t really look and say, “Okay, well, we were missing some guys due to health reasons, but you were missing Jeff Malot and he’s somebody that you mentioned to me. I know during camp you were just so excited about having him on the team from a personality perspective and from a hockey perspective. um watching what he’s had happen the last couple weeks getting this opportunity. What’s that been like for you as someone who had gotten pretty close with him and uh you know great opportunity for him? Yeah, huge opportunity and we’re all so happy for him. Obviously missed him. Would have loved to have him but um you know we’re we’re so happy for what he’s got going on right now and it’s so welld deserved. Um yeah, I think from day one you could tell he he was going to be good for us um both on the ice and off the ice. I think he was a huge part of our locker room. Um, and I think honestly you can see it with the Kings right now too. He just slides seamlessly into any situation and um, it’s a testament to him and his character and and the way he carries himself. Long off season. What are your plans? You and the kids going anywhere? Um, not really sure yet. Uh, go home for July, go to back to Montana for July and do some fishing and and see the family and stuff, but other than that, um, nothing really planned. We’ll see. How important has it been for you to figure out your contract and have things set up so that you can have a productive off seasonason so you don’t have to spend time trying to worry about what’s going on or trying to figure out what what might be going on like you’re end up hey you know you’re coming back you’re you’re solid. How much does that help you set you up for next year? Yeah, it’s great. Um that’s it’s luckily it’s been like that for the last um I guess six of the seven years. I’ve I’ve known way ahead of time that I’d be back the next season. Um, which is great. um especially familywise to be able to set up the summer and um you know even set myself up workout wise and to be able to work out here and skate here with um really highle guys um rather than working out by myself is is a huge huge bonus and it’s very much appreciated by me and and my family and um yeah it’s a special thing uh to be able to be here this long something I take huge pride in and and you know I truthfully would like to be here as long as I can. So, we’ll see. Marco mentioned a couple weeks ago, uh, it was a night that, you know, you made a particularly big impact into the game and, um, he was praising kind of everything that you’re able to do both on and off the ice for the for the team. What’s it been like kind of watching Marco grow over the past couple years? Um, and and kind of see him really start to take the next step as a as a head coach of this group. Yeah, I think I think he’s made um huge jumps um personally like just the way he carries himself and um you know I missed his first year I was the year I mostly missed so I didn’t really you know get to see anything but I think last year um he made huge steps throughout the year and I think he did the same thing um this year I think he’s just gotten better and better and you know he he commands the room He commands respect um or demands respect, I’m sorry. And you know, he just carries himself and that’s what you want in a leader. I’ve said it before. I think I think he does a good job of um just everything in game adjustments. He’s just does everything very well and and it just keeps getting better and better just like anyone else. So, um yeah, he’s been great. If you had to pick one thing to point out from the last week that maybe you think you guys need to learn from, what was something that maybe went wrong in in the last couple days that you feel like could have been better and that maybe would have changed the the series or the outcome? Yeah, I just don’t think we elevated anything enough. you know, you you watch playoff hockey and it’s more tense, more physical. Everything is elevated, every moment’s elevated, and I just don’t think we um rose to that occasion. And and we weren’t ready for that. And I think, you know, it’s something that needs to be addressed. Um it just didn’t have the same feeling. And we can say what we want about the the building situation. Um to me I don’t think it matters. It it a good a team that’s going on a run gets through that. So um yeah, it’s unfortunate. We’re all disappointed. Um the three game series bites us. I I that does not sit well with me at all, but that’s the way it is and we’re not going to change that. So, um, yeah, I just don’t, in the end, I don’t think we elevated our game or our intensity, physicality, um, near enough. And a team like San Jose that’s going to grind you down with some top end, high-end guys, um, they just found a way and we did.
Staying healthy all season long, Jacob Doty was happy to contribute to the #ReignTrain every single day.
