00:00Excited to get things going here. We're at Florida Panthers Media Day at the Baptist Health Ice Plex.
00:05And Alex Petrovich joining us here on the program. What's going on, man? Thanks for giving us some time here.
00:10Yeah, no problem. Are you excited to be back? What is the feeling right now? You got the goosies?
00:15A little bit. I've been back in South Florida for about three or four weeks, so it's good. It feels
00:24like home, honestly.
00:25It was crazy. We were just talking to Lars Eller, and it's like, yeah, Florida is a destination now.
00:31And I wanted to get your thoughts on this because when you were first here, it wasn't thought of as
00:36a destination.
00:36At least it was like, hey, this is a young franchise. They're still finding their footing.
00:41Is that crazy to you to see how the growth of the game has happened down here in South Florida?
00:46Honestly, when I was drafted here, I couldn't believe more guys didn't want to play down here.
00:51It's unreal. No state tax. You're on the beach. What more do you want?
00:57So it's, you know, I definitely, when Mr. Viola took over the team from day one, he just kept improving
01:04it.
01:04And, you know, that's kind of why it's grown to what it is now. So it's awesome.
01:08How excited are you to get into this journey of camp this week? Just getting the nature.
01:14I know you guys have been around each other. Coach Maurice was telling us that.
01:17But I guess that it's the real deal. Preseason games are starting up.
01:20Like, what do you imagine that energy is going to be like tomorrow?
01:23Oh, good. You know, I haven't done a training camp with Coach Maurice before.
01:29So, you know, a lot of the guys are giving me or giving everyone the new guys, giving us a
01:34heads up.
01:34So, you know, something you can't really prepare for.
01:38You just got to just jump in and give her.
01:40So, you know, just excited, though. Yeah. It's been a long summer. Ready to get back at it.
01:46Well, it was interesting because we were talking about that philosophy of, like, do you go hard on the guys?
01:51Do you, you know, how do you practice them right for a team that you imagine having a deep run?
01:56And as a veteran, like, what do you think is the secret sauce to that?
02:00Like, what do you like? What's the balance of preparing your players for a season?
02:06Honestly, I've been, I've had a ton of coaches and everything.
02:10You know, they've obviously had success here. They know what they're doing.
02:13So, it'll be cool to see what, you know, what they do here and whatnot.
02:19It'll just be another good experience.
02:22And I think, yeah, just jump right in.
02:25Like, just give her, get the blood going, get the legs moving.
02:30You know, and then by the time you start playing games, you know, just it feels good.
02:35You feel like you've had that intensity a little bit already.
02:38So, I think it's the right way.
02:40What is the biggest thing?
02:43So, you can skate, you can practice, you know, the three or four weeks you've been here.
02:48Yeah.
02:48But what is the biggest thing you have to get, like, when the season actually starts or when camp first
02:55starts?
02:56Is it the hitting?
02:57Is it, you know, being on your skates for much longer than you have been when you've been practicing?
03:03Is it the speed?
03:05What is the thing you have to get acclimated to?
03:09I think everyone's different.
03:11Some guys skate a lot in the summer.
03:13Some guys don't.
03:14So, maybe, you know, if you don't, you got to kind of get your skates under you and whatnot.
03:18But I think it's more, you know, preseason, you know, there is hitting.
03:24You're not hitting all summer or anything like that.
03:26So, that first hit kind of gives you a jolt and kind of wakes you up and say, all right,
03:30we're back.
03:31You know, it's – and you kind of get a little bit of that in training camp too.
03:35But, yeah, I think chemistry too, just being on a new team, you know, I think that for a lot
03:41– like, guys that are coming in, new players, that's probably the biggest thing is just knowing guys' tendencies and
03:45everything.
03:46But, yeah, a little bit of everything.
03:48But I think, you know, you come in, you have an intense training camp, practice and all that.
03:53Going into the games definitely helps.
03:55We were talking about this roster a little bit before we went on the air.
03:58Is there somebody you're most looking forward to playing with?
04:01Is it with Barky?
04:04Is it a new person?
04:06Like, what is the guy you're like, ah, I can't wait to get back on the ice with that person?
04:11Yeah, I think definitely Barky.
04:13You know, just everyone knows who he is.
04:17He's great.
04:18You know, he makes everyone out there on the ice better just by playing with him.
04:21So, it'll be cool to be back out there with him and Eki and, you know, Kulikov.
04:27We used to be partners back in the day together here.
04:31I played with Markstrom a lot.
04:34So, it'll be cool.
04:35I think, you know, I'm from Edmonton.
04:37So, you know, a lot of non-Kachuk fans out there.
04:43I think it'll be cool to definitely be playing with those guys.
04:47You know, playing against them.
04:48They're hard guys to play against.
04:49So, it'll be awesome to play with, you know, guys like them, Marshawn, all those types of guys.
04:53So, it's just excited.
04:56It's going to be a cool team.
04:57What is it about the Kachuks that makes them so annoying on the ice?
05:02I don't know.
05:02They're just, you know, the fact that they can, you know, they can chirp.
05:07They can, you know, play physical.
05:10And then they can also finish.
05:11You know, they can also score goals.
05:12So, it's, you know, all those things in one.
05:15And, you know, they can get guys off their game that way.
05:19So, it's, that's, you know, that's why, the reason why they've had their success.
05:23I used to hate the guys that would talk trash and get in your face and kind of, not take
05:29you out of your game, but just irritate you and then smile.
05:32Yeah.
05:32And laugh and go away.
05:34And, like, he wasn't even serious.
05:36Right?
05:37Yeah.
05:38Yeah, I know.
05:39It's, you know, it's definitely a lot of head games and stuff that go on out there.
05:43It's, you got to try and keep your cool, but they're some of the best at doing it.
05:48Right.
05:48And, it's kind of one of those things that feels like on this team that is really spread throughout the
05:54roster.
05:55Like, they kind of know, like, the Panthers are going to play with that physical chip on their shoulder type
05:58of thing and all that.
06:01Is that something that you noticed, you know, when decided to come here?
06:04Like, I like just the edge that the whole roster seems to play with?
06:08Yeah, I think so.
06:09I think, you know, I had some teams interested, but, you know, it wasn't like I could just pick wherever
06:15I wanted to go.
06:16So, it was, you know, it was definitely a team that, you know, reached out.
06:21They were interested.
06:23I'm like, hey, that's, you know, looks like they got a pretty good thing going there.
06:26And, you know, I'm a little bit older in my career, so, you know, I'm trying to win a Stanley
06:30Cup and, you know, personally.
06:32And, I think, I just wanted to go somewhere where they're building towards that.
06:36So, you know, Florida was definitely number one on the list.
06:38And, we always see, like, on these runs, like, guys who step up in their roles of what they want
06:44them to do.
06:44What are those conversations like with either Paul Maurice or with Bill Zito, just of, like, what they want you
06:49to do to fit in?
06:50Like, just be yourself?
06:51Or, do they talk about rolling out?
06:53How do those conversations go?
06:54A little bit.
06:55Like, basically, like, the gist of it was just, you know, come and be yourself.
06:59Like, you know, they know from all their scouting reports and on-ice, off-ice, what they've heard.
07:04You know, they definitely do all their homework.
07:06And, they don't want guys to come in and be something that they're not.
07:10And, you know, just come and be yourself.
07:13You know, I have some history here.
07:14So, they definitely talk to some guys that have, you know, been around.
07:17And, yeah, just basically come in.
07:21You know, how the system is, like, on-ice, the systems that they play.
07:26Just, you know, they think I'll fit in perfectly for that.
07:28And, you know, it'll be good to learn it all and get going.
07:33Alex, we can't wait to watch it, man.
07:35It's exciting to have you back down here in South Florida.
07:36Welcome back.
07:37And, we're looking forward to the season.
07:39Awesome.
07:39Appreciate it, guys.
07:40Thanks.
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