Mike Keenan Quotes (25 Quotes)

ready to write a contract for Roberto if we could've gotten that done. That's more productive.

It's a day we've waited for a long time, all of us. It's nice to get started again.

We now have a quality affiliate to send our younger prospects that is located just 90 minutes away, giving our hockey operations staff the chance to frequently watch these players develop.

I would dare to say this team is much better than it was the last time they played,

We tried a lot of different scenarios. We just couldn't find the middle ground in this particular case, so this is a good way of facilitating a contract for Roberto and we're excited about the fact he will be under contract and will be playing for us in the fall.

We've got to build as a team and come together, ... We've got to be competitive every night and embrace the opportunity to deal with all aspects of the game. And right now, I feel good about where the team is at.

There is a perception that we are an improving team, and players will come here who bring credibility to help us build something.

He is a proven playmaker who has the ability to play at both ends of the ice. This acquisition gives us flexibility in our lineup as he can play center or on the wing, as well as on our special teams.

I was very disappointed about being dismissed here considering what had developed behind the scenes, ... I appreciate the opportunity to come back and hopefully be able to develop success with a different formula than I had in the past.

The offer was on the table. We offered him 25 million over five years, and they were going to think about it and give us an answer. They decided not to accept their offer. I was really surprised that he didn't take the opportunity to secure his future and to accept what I felt was a very fair offer. That just proved to Roberto and our fans how much we value him. We wanted to try and keep him a Panther for many years.

They were put in a position, in my opinion, that was unfair to them,

I needed time to review our financial situation and some of the things we discussed in terms of what approach we might take with Olli and what would work best for both sides, ... That's really how it's been left. I said I would get back to him by the end of this week.

The objective of (the bargaining agreement) was to level the playing field a bit among the group, and I think that happened,

I think with the veterans you'll see more acceleration in their development they'll improve and work in a more professional environment. They'll be able to grow and learn from people they can identify with.

I was really surprised he didn't take an opportunity to secure his future and accept what I felt was a very fair offer,

There have been quite a few media reports that say the year off gave them a year to recover and they're feeling better and stronger than they have in the past, ... I think they're refreshed mentally and will be able to train hard and build themselves up.

It was a special time, and I regret the decision I made to leave the team.

He adds depth to our club's already competitive blue line and we look forward to him competing for a roster spot during training camp.

Then he went out and scored a hat trick to win that game.

Quite frankly, we never entertained any specific offers for any of our players. We said, 'If we got to that point where we made the decision we would maybe trade, then we would talk to you.' But we never got to that point.

We respect Roberto's abilities and certainly what he's done for the Panthers ... but we couldn't reach an agreement at this time.

The game will miss him for sure.

We've talked so much about the potential of our young players, ... This will make the team a better team.

I didn't think that was a prudent thing for the organization or for our fans.

The workers are there to bring home a paycheck to their families, just like us,