Alain Vigneault took a timeout yesterday, the day after being introduced as the Rangers new coach, for some Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby.
Q: Did the pictures of the Rangers’ 1994 Cup run caught your eye at the training center?
A: The one that really caught my attention was the one of the parade. Unreal.
Q: Can you envision that for yourself?
A: That’s why I’m here. There’s no doubt in my mind that we’re one of the teams that can compete for that Cup.
Q: You came very close to winning the Cup with the Canucks, against Boston in 2011.
A: One game, yeah.
Q: What was that like being so close? Did that add to your hunger to get it?
A: It definitely did. When you’re so close … the amount of time and effort that players have to put in, and coaches have to put in, it has to be the toughest trophy — I’m not taking anything away from, and I know football’s popular and basketball’s popular, baseball — but that Cup is one grind. And I went through the grind to the seventh game, and we came real close. And I think that’s gonna fuel me personally again to get there, but this time be on the right side of the equation.
Q: Do you remember the feeling walking off, and the other team is celebrating, right?
A: Yeah, yeah. It was in Vancouver. It was real hard. It took me a while, and it took my players a while to get over it.
Q: Rangers fans want to know how quickly you can win a Cup here.
A: (Laugh). We’re working on it right now.
Q: Describe an Alain Vigneault hockey player.
A: Two things would stand out, in my opinion: real good hockey sense, and a competitive S.O.B. He competes. Competes every shift.
Q: What won’t you tolerate?
A: I think as a coach you’re always looking to get the best out of your players. … You’re always looking to help them become the best players that they can be. They say talent is overrated? It’s not about the talent, it’s about the hard work. I want players that are willing to put in the hard work. So, if you’re asking me what I won’t tolerate, I won’t tolerate people that aren’t willing to put in the time.
Q: Are you a stickler for any kind of rules in particular?
A: Don’t have a lot of rules. For me it’s all about common sense — what’s right and what’s wrong.
Q: How do you motivate?
A: I think motivation is about setting goals, being able to measure those goals … and giving players the feedback to attain those goals. You set the goals, you help ’em by teaching them right, give ’em the right feedback, and usually a player stays really highly motivated all the time.
Q: Do you think you’re a good motivator?
A: I think that’s part of my job. I think in our line of work, in the National Hockey League, you’ve got 600 of the best hockey players in the world. There’s not a chance that they’ve made it to the NHL without being highly motivated. They’re the best in the world.
Q: What was the biggest lesson you learned coaching from your first NHL coaching job with the Canadiens (1997-2001)?
A: You know, they say it’s probably the University of Hockey. The Habs is the tradition — a lot like the Rangers. The Habs in Montreal is like the Yankees here, except it’s the only thing in Quebec. So, it taught me how to — (pulls out cell phone) I got this thing on my phone (chuckle) … KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON. That was Churchill’s saying during the war to his British people when they were getting bombarded by the Germans: Keep calm and carry on. So I think that’s what I like to do. I keep calm and I carry on. I had that when I went to Vancouver, in my boss’ office, there was this big thing — KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON.
Q: What adjectives should follow Alain Vigneault in the dictionary?
A: I believe I’m a good teacher, communicator, I set the goals, and I motivate the people to get to where they need to be.
Q: Is there one motivational ploy that you …
A: I don’t believe in gimmicks and things like that. I believe in honesty: This is what we need to do to become the best that we can be. I was able to stay coaching in Vancouver for seven years. In the other five Canadian cities, ’cause I’m not counting Winnipeg ’cause Winnipeg just got in, there were 20 coaching changes. Seven years in a Canadian market, that’s a good run. For you to be able to make a run like that, it has to be because you’re a true person, there is no gimmicks about you. I believe that. And you gotta win a lot of games (smile).
Q: How about demanding?
A: I would say demanding but fair.
Q: How about businesslike?
A: My approach to hockey preparation is structured and businesslike.
Q: What are your thoughts of Chris Kreider?
A: I remember him from two years ago when he came up, and he scored some big playoff goals.
Q: What makes Henrik Lundqvist one of the best in the world?
A: He stops the puck (laugh). That’s what goalies are paid to do. You stop the puck, and your team has a chance to win every night, and I think Henrik does that. He gives you a chance to win every night.
Q: What makes Rick Nash an elite player?
A: The skill set, the size. … When he takes the puck to the net, you can’t stop him.
Q: What was being an assistant coach with the expansion Senators like (1992-96)?
A: Very, very challenging. It was a good learning experience, but … I wouldn’t do it again. I wouldn’t put myself through that.
Q: Why?
A: You have no chance of winning. We were lucky to win the number of games that we won. We had no money, we couldn’t get any players. They wanted to build through the draft, so that’s a real long process. It was my first team with the NHL, I was assistant coach. Rick Bowness, who was my assistant coach in Vancouver, he did an amazing job [as head coach]. I’ve learned so much from him. How positive he was dealing with that situation. Most of the games you got no chance — unless the other team is totally off, not working, not showing up, guys went out the night before — otherwise, it was just a real tough situation.
Q: When you played …
A: A long, long time ago, yeah (laugh). Forty-two of the best NHL games you’ll ever see in your life (laugh).
Q: Sixty-four games with the Salt Lake Golden Eagles, you had a mere 266 penalty minutes. Could you explain that?
A: You know what? Hockey was different back then. There was more fighting. It was in a different era. So I was probably considered more of a physical player back then. Now and then, I dropped the gloves. I was thinking of that yesterday (chuckle). In my 42 of the best NHL games in the world, I had a fight with Mark Messier! … He was playing in Edmonton at the time. And I think accidentally, I hit this French guy with my stick — and … he came boltin’ after me. It was an accident. I did all right, he did all right (smile), it wasn’t a real long fight.
Q: How about the 1983 fight with Al Secord?
A: I didn’t hold my own on that one (smile). I grabbed on for life on that one (laugh)!
Q: He flipped you.
A: Yeah, yeah. I think he was telling me in my ear, “Don’t let me go, you’re gonna get it.” There’s not a chance I was lettin’ go. Oh jeez, he was a tough guy.
Q: You fought Terry O’Reilly, right?
A: Yeah it was in Boston [in 1982]. I did all right.
Q: Your first NHL goal?
A: It was here in the Garden. I remember ’cause I used to kid J.D. [John Davidson] that I scored on him, but it wasn’t on him, it was on Steve Baker. I came out of the box — it was my second NHL game — came out of the box, I had a breakaway and I scored.
Q: How about your second NHL goal?
A: My second NHL goal was a big shot from the point, on the ice, just had seeing eyes in Minnesota.
Q: Those were your two.
A: That’s all you’re gettin’ (laugh).
Q: Who are some coaches and players in other sports you admire?
A: Without a doubt, with the Patriots, [Bill] Belichick and [Tom] Brady.
Q: Why?
A: I like that relationship. They don’t win it all the time, but they prepare, they work, and they work together to get the best out of their teammates and the team.
Q: Anybody in hockey history, who would you have wanted to sit down and talk hockey with?
A: To pick somebody’s brain to talk about hockey, I wouldn’t pick somebody that’s not living. I think the science and the game has changed so much, I don’t think that anybody there could bring something to the table for me that would be worthwhile. I told this to [former Canadiens great and current team exec] Serge Savard, I kept telling him, “If we could have a time machine, and bring the worst team in the NHL today, and play them against when you guys won those five Stanley Cups, and play one game against the other? It wouldn’t even be close.” Players today are so much stronger, faster better than those teams back then that Mr. Savard played on. I want to say he won eight Stanley Cups in 12 or 14 years or something like that. He gets real upset at me, like, “You got 12 [bleepin’] Hall of Famers on that [bleepin’] team.” It’s no comparison.
Q: What were your emotions when Stephane Matteau scored the goal that sent the Rangers to the Cup Finals in ’94?
A: I coached Stephane in junior [league] in Hull. Real happy for him. He was a real shy individual. But he was a real nice kid. We won our league, we won the championship in the playoffs, we lost in the Memorial Cup, but he was a real solid player. To see some of your former players score big goals like that, or in his case lift the Cup, it’s a great feeling as a coach.
Q: Joe Michiletti was your St. Louis Blues teammate.
A: Real smart on the ice. Joe had real good hockey sense. Like he really understood the game. I think one of the reasons why he can articulate it the way he does for the fans is because he had great hockey sense. He’s kept up with the game.
Q: Marty Biron.
A: I coached him in junior. That was right after the Ottawa experience.
Q: What do you remember about him?
A: He’s a talker (smile).
Q: What made the Sedin twins, Henrik and Daniel, so special to you?
A: When I got [to Vancouver] they were second-line players, and it didn’t take me a long time to figure out that they had the skill set to become the best players on our team. And they were my best workers. And as a coach, when your top players are your hardest workers, it makes your job so much easier. … They were better people than they were hockey players.
Q: Boyhood idol?
A: Gilbert Perreault. My dad was a big Habs fan, and just to go maybe a little against what your dad was picking for, I was cheering for the Buffalo Sabres at that time, and the French Connection, Gilbert Perreault was one of the best players in the NHL.
Q: Did you go to Montreal games as a kid?
A: He brought me to a three or four, very young, yeah, once every other year at the old Forum.
Q: As a kid, did you want to be an NHL player?
A: Yeah. I went to an all-boys high school. My first year, at some point, they asked you what you wanted to do in life. Everybody’s standing — “I want to be a doctor, I want to be a lawyer” — I stood up, I said, “I’m gonna be an NHL player.” Everybody started to laugh. But, that was my dream, and you gotta have dreams, and I got to play 42.
Q: Your dad was a pathologist. How did he feel about you wanting to be a hockey player?
A: He wanted me to go to school.
Q: Bowling Green, right?
A: I had the opportunity to go there. I had the opportunity to go to Wisconsin. [Badgers coach] Bob Johnson had come down to give me a rundown on the school, and I went to visit the university also. I think that’s where he would have liked me to go at that time. But I grew up in Quebec, in Canada, and it was about major junior hockey. So I wanted to play major junior hockey. That was my benchmark.
Q: Are you more like your dad or your mom?
A: My dad’s more of an intellect. … My mom’s more of a hard-working … as soon as the kids left for high school, she went back to work, she went back to school. She’s got a lot of drive. I’d say a little bit more like my mom, probably. But my dad’s got a lot of common sense, and I believe I’ve got a lot of that too.
Q: What was it like living with your parents during the lockout?
A: (Laugh) I was doing renovations in my house, and my parents are a couple of minutes away from my place. I think they got a big kick out of it — 50-something-year-old, the son comes back home. Probably gave the house a little bit more life. Some of my buddies would come over at night (smile).
Q: Dinner guest?
A: Bill Clinton.
Q: Favorite movie?
A: “The Patriot.”
Q: Favorite entertainer?
A: David Letterman.
Q: Favorite meal?
A: Steak.
Q: How good a golfer are you?
A: Mid 80s … 85-90.
Q: What do you want Rangers fans to say about your team?
A: I want ’em to say that that team plays the right way. We do the right things with the puck, and when we don’t have the puck, we do the right things to get the puck, and go.
Q: What drives you?
A: I’ve always been very competitive in anything I do — play golf, want to win; play cards want to win. I’ve been in this sport playing and coaching all my life, and just love bringing the best out of people and winning hockey games. There’s no better feeling.