Interview with Hejda about the problems
Eurolanche Fan Club met with Jan Hejda and did an exclusive interview with him not only about the current problems of the Colorado Avalanche.SCROLL
DOWN to get a chance to win Jan Hejda´s signed photo.
Why
it is at the present how it is…?
I exactly knew what you were going to ask me (laugh).
No surprise. Why? Well… It is a good question. If I knew it, I would say it to
boys and let´s start to win. After these three games we are definitely missing
confidence. It is hard to play with tied hands. Sadly, we are on the last place
and of course everybody knows it. It could indicate they do not want to take
it, but it is not true.
Then you are trying to avoid mistakes and play very
carefully hockey. It does not work. You have to show little more on the ice.
But if you have no confidence, you do only what you have to. That´s the reason
why it is how it is… It has started by a game against Edmonton. Every time when
you play against theoretically weaker teams like Edmonton – I say
theoretically, because I do not think any game is easy to play in this league,
every game is hard – you underrate them. Then we probably do not play against
them on the level like with Chicago or San Jose. This was maybe the start of
all it.
Why
there was so big turnaround after two big wins against strong teams?
Like I said, it was the underestimation of Edmonton. You
said yourself they were on the second-to-last place, they have young team, so
it should not be a hard game, what is not true. When we played in Edmonton,
they had 56 shots, so it is definitely not easy to play against them. It was
one of the hardest games of my career here. It is maybe about the attitude of
the game.
What
coaches reproach you most?
Today (Sunday) we had a practice focused on the play
in the center ice. The crossing through it was not good. We should not loss
pucks on both blue lines. I think we have to improve play in the defensive
zone. You cannot win when you allow 4 and more goals in a game.
What
is the situation with both goalies? They play hard, but still there are many
goals…
It is definitely not easy for them. We are lucky how
they play. Of course Varlamov is number one, he plays more than Giguere. I
think it is a big plus that Varlamov played during the lockout. He has kept the
shape. He helped us a lot at the start and still helping us. Both goalies are
our rescue.
Did
Ryan O´Reilly´s comeback help a team?
Yes, Ryan is good player. It was clear he needed a
time for the first games to come back. But we were definitely missing him at
the start of the season.
Was
Tyson Barrie your best defensive partner in this season?
It was good to play with him. I cannot complain. I was
glad. The situation is we have 7 one-way contracted defensemen. He has to wait
on his next chance.
What´s
new with Milan Hejduk?
He was injured, but not now. He did not play some
games. Maybe he needs to get in the shape.
He
played in Minnesota, but in the following game not. Was he a healthy scratch?
Yes.
Is
this his last season?
Last year he said it supposed to be his last season. I
still persuade him. We will see how the management would persuade him. It is up
to him. I think he has a big potential to score goals and he has the best shot
of the team. It is hard to decide during the season. Maybe it is important how
he will feel in the summer.
Does
team still believe in the playoffs?
Of course. It has been always our target, but it will
be hard. In a hockey, you won two games and start to feel better and it comes.
We need to get on the winning streak. When you look on Columbus… they were on
the last place, we lost to them in the overtime and then they suddenly won six
in a row. It could happen to us and then we would be in the other situation.
How
captain is Gabriel Landeskog?
He is good unless he has not such a good year like
last season. Of course he has more duties. I do not think his age is
disadvantage. We have veterans who try to help him. It was a good choice to
name him a captain.
Has
he raised his voice yet?
No, but mainly after bad games he says something about
it. I do not think he needs to raise his voice to get authority. He is a
leading example kind of player.
What
do you eat during the season?
I try to have the same weight. We have a scale in the
locker room and I use it before and after every practice. Mostly we have the
same pre-game meal as for example chicken, pasta and rice. Usually I eat steak
with rice or potatoes in the evening before the game. There is nutrition guy
who gives us advices about it.
How
do you try to stay focused on the game?
I try to repeat the same rituals since the morning.
Usually we have a morning skate on a gameday. Before or after it I do stretching.
Then I go home and have two-hour nap. Then go to the game, stretching again,
little soccer… I do the same things as before the previous games.
When
you are playing a game, about what are you thinking?
I mainly stay focused on the good start to the game in
the first period. Referring to my experiences I know that if you have a good
first period, then the adrenaline comes up and you feel better. More time on
the ice, you are more confident. If the first is good, you show more in the
next.
What
do you think about the new divisional system for the next season?
It looks better when three teams of each division will
be in the playoffs and then two more would be added. It would be different to
think about it. You will not look on the conference, but on the divisions. We will
have 14 teams in our conference, so I think it should be a benefit for us.
Win
Jan Hejda´s signed photo!
If you will want to win Jan Hejda´s signed photo, send
us your answers on the following three questions and get luck in the draw! Send
them to eurolanche@eurolanche.com
within the next 48 hours.
1. What is the main website of the Eurolanche
Invasion?
2. Where you can read the diary of the Eurolanche
Invasion V?
3. In which of our Facebook groups we publish daily
updated photos of our trip?
David Puchovsky, Slovakia, eurolanche@eurolanche.com
18/03/2013 - 14:30
