As a kid, you dream of winning the Stanley Cup. As you get older, you understand the importance of winning the Olympics.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
Growing up in Canada, most kids from Canada dream of playing in the NHL, and they also hope one day to be on a Stanley Cup team. That was a big goal.
I don't even know what the odds are for one kid or one team to make it here. Obviously, being from Canada this is their Stanley Cup - they made it. It's hard enough to get here and it's hard enough to advance.
All the people that come out and show their support and their pride for your accomplishments, I think it really reminds you that without people you don't ever to get to live that dream. To play in the NHL is one thing, but to win the Stanley Cup and come back and share it with everyone is another thing.
But inside of me I knew that the Olympics were still there. I was still young enough. I knew that once I transitioned out of hockey, it would be really hard to go back.
People ask if I regret not winning a Stanley Cup, but winning the series against the Soviet Union was the best. It was the greatest experience of my hockey career by far.
When it comes to hockey, it's been in my blood since I was 3 or 4 years old. I love coaching the kids, especially at that level.
As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.
I didn't know that I'd like it this much, coaching both boys and coming out all the time and seeing how excited they are to play hockey. It reminds you of when you were that age and you wanted to be out on the ice.
Winning the Stanley Cup in '99 was a dream come true. I'll never forget it.
My childhood dream was to win the Olympics, and I've done that. Everything else is icing on the cake.