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A Devils/River Rats Fan: Congratulations on being named Player of the Week. What do you think of the teams performance this year? Pierre Dagenais: It's tough for us right now. Albany has a great team all the time, but this year we've struggled. We've made some mistakes but we learn by them. We lost a lot of games on the road but we've gotten better as the year's gone on.
Michelle in Saint John: Hello, my question is why do you think the team is struggling so far this season? What do you like to do during your off time? Pierre Dagenais: We practice hard everyday. We're young and we'll get better. We have a lot of young guys who are just learning. When you come from junior, you're not familiar with the style of game. You make mistakes but you learn from this. In my off time, I watch movies, play on my computer and work out. I read too. I hang out with my teammates and go out. I like listening to the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Dave McCormick: Pierre..congrats on a your fine performance last week! It appears the River Rats are starting to turn the corner. Why didn't Skrlac show up in Syracuse last week? Fear of Jody Shelley beating him up again? Pierre Dagenais: It's a good question, I like that. I think we have a lot of young guys who didn't play the week before. We have to dress the young guys sometimes you know.
Shaun Padden, Rochester New York: Dear Pierre Dagenais, personally I think you should be playing for the Devils. What do you think would help the Rats win more games. Pierre Dagenais: I think we have some new players who are improving and both of our goalies are awesome right now. We have to play a bit better on defense and we have to be smarter on the ice and not take so many penalties. You have to focus to be good. We only have 37 goals in the season, and we can't win with those types of numbers.
mclaren19: I know you guys had a brawl with the phantoms. Out of curiousty, even though things get out of hand on the ice after the game, does anyone usually go up to another player after a brawl after the game to joke around. Pierre Dagenais: That stuff is only kept on the ice. It might carry over to the next game, but we try to keep it only on the ice.
Derek Callahan, Virginiatown, ONT: Do you feel that the wide open hockey that you played in Rouyn Noranda hampered or helped your ability to progress to the NHL. Pierre Dagenais: It definitely helped. I scored 66 goals and definitely built up my confidence to score more goals. Here I'm in a bit of a slump from last weekend, but hopefully I will pick up and I hope it carries over from my six goals last week. It definitely built up my confidence. I like to think of myself as one of the best, on and off.
Norm Szcyrek: Pierre, did you feel disappointed, happy, or something else, when the New Jersey drafted you the second time in 1998? Pierre Dagenais: It's been great. It's not about the money or anything. The second time they drafted me I thought that this team really wants me a lot. They will probably really have me playing a lot if they drafted me twice. I put this as a good thing. I am very, very happy to be here. I've been given chances to play in pre-games, and I hope I will have a chance to play in the NHL some day. I learned a lot of hockey here too under the coaches in Quebec junior. I know a lot about the offensive and defensive zone and now I am a lot better.
Denise: Congratulations Pierre. Is the atmosphere in the locker room more positive with your performance and the tie and win in the last two games? Pierre Dagenais: For sure. It's not just about me. I'm part of the team and I just helped the team win. I've been doing well since not being lucky for a while. It turned around. Now everybody knows that if we work hard, we'll be better. Now we've got about 60 games to go and we have the momentum to catch the teams a head of us.
Bill Cherniak: Name your top 5 NHL players your top 5 nhl goalies Pierre Dagenais: Top goalie is Martin Brodeur. I've never played against a goalie in the NHL because I'm not there yet, but he's tops. Patrick Roy is the best goalie in the world, next to Martin Brodeur. Mario Lemieux, I always wanted to play like him. He was the best player I've ever seen in my life.
SHAUN PADDEN: DO YOU FEEL YOU SHOULD be playing for the devils Pierre Dagenais: I can't say yes or no. If you look at the Jersey roster, there's a lot of guys in the lineup that are good and fit in well. It's tough. It's not a great place for an offensive guy to be in this position, but I hope to continue to play well and hopefully break into the team offensively.
SHAUN PADDEN: what do you think about the new slashing rule Pierre Dagenais: I think it's good for hockey. It's good for the skilled player. I'm not fast so some times I want to slash. I think the game will be better because of the rule though. Better for the players and the game and better for the fans.
: njdevilsrn: Hi Pierre, congrats on the player of the week and ending the losing streak. With the turnaround in the way the Rats have been playing, and the return of Geordie Kinnear, Willie Mitchell, and Ed Ward, where do you see the Rats season going? Pierre Dagenais: It will only go forward. We have to win more games. All the guys want to play to win. No one is playing for themselves. We want to make the playoffs and do well when we get there.
SHAUN PADDEN: why do you think is keeping you from playing for the devils . and if you did play for the devils what would you hope would happen . Pierre Dagenais: I would like to be as good as any player would want to in the NHL. To play and win the Stanley Cup and continue to play in the league for a long time.
Pierre Dagenais: I just want to say thanks to my teammates and coaches. I'm glad the streak is over. All the guys are happy right now. I hope we can continue to win and move forward.
Moderator: Thanks for speaking with us Pierre. Congratulations on having a great week and being honoured as player of the week. Maybe the next time we speak with you, you'll be a Devil!