It is difficult to meet fan expectations, especially when people say, 'Oh, the last one was the best one.' It creates more pressure each time for the next game to top the last one.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
There's always pressure playing in the NHL. You want to play your best game every game. Expectations are always gonna be there; it's just important that you know how to handle expectations.
When you're winning games, everyone thinks everything the manager says and does is fantastic. Then it goes the other way, and those earlier criticisms of players can backfire.
The best thing for the fans is having a team with a chance to win. That's what everyone wants.
Everyone has a breaking point, turning point, stress point, the game is permeated with it. The fans don't see it because we make it look so efficient. But internally, for a guy to be successful, you have to be like a clock spring, wound but not loose at the same time.
I know the people expect the best - good. The people expect we'll play fantastic football and win games - good. I can't control that. I accept that, and I just focus on my players in the games.
I want to feel I can help the club to believe they are good, and I want to feel the fans knowing the team is good. Sometimes you don't believe that because in the past, you have not won as many titles like the other ones.
I care very much what the fans think. I'm starting to loosen my grip on caring about what critics say, because I think that critics care about what fans think of them, too, so there's a little bit of a refraction there, through that glass.
I think everyone expects if you're in the lead, or if you're a favourite to win, you will win, and if you don't, then you're in a slump. It's not the case.
Of course every player wants to go from good to better, but one should not be obsessed with it.
It takes the pressure off of your better players to know they don't always have to be on top of their game for the team to do well.