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Initial reaction:
The day has gone very well. Certainly everybody has been great, and actually this is my last involvement with the media. This is my last media request.

On what attracted him to Toronto:
I think the excitement of what has transpired here, after the last several months, certainly with Mike coming on board and the other staff. I have a lot of respect for Kyle and Mark and Brendan. I know all these people and know what they’ve done. To come aboard, I thought with the challenge and the commitment Larry Tanenbaum has done along with his board, and the amenities as far as the support mechanisms that is afforded here, it was a challenge. It was an excitement. It was almost like something to look forward to. Brendan really kindled that and told me about how he saw things and how he felt things were going and what his vision was. I spoke to Mike, and what Mike’s vision [is]. And, really, I was right on board.

On the difficulty of leaving New Jersey:
That is the most difficult thing. The most difficult thing for me so far today was probably making a half a dozen phone calls at 6:30 this morning to different individuals who no one even knows who they are, what they do, who work in the organization, who have been so committed and loyal and supportive and responsible for so many things that never get noticed. Now you’re leaving, and what will that do? All of that. You’re 100% right, I can’t overestimate at all what that feeling has been and trying to dismiss it. When you’re talking about it and asked that question, it’s just a flashback one after the other.

On whether it’s refreshing not having the entire weight of a franchise on his shoulders:
Without question. That’s the excitement, too, is that you’re focusing on what you love to do. You have to love this sport to do what we’re doing and you have to love what you’re doing. There’s no question that that played a major role.

On a roster in flux:
That’s a question that I don’t think I’m capable of answering because I really don’t know enough about a lot of things. I think that right now what I have to do is absorb as much information as I can without getting confused or getting swayed one way or the other. I’ve always approached something new with no preconceived notions. With the people that I’m now going to be working with, they’re people that I’ve hired or came along with me, so that it’s not like them vs. us in having that open mind. I think that’s very important. No different than when a coach comes in. When a coach comes in, in my opinion, he should coach that team as if those are the players he wanted, and now see what they do.

On the importance of accountability and knowing your role:
I think that that’s the most important thing. I think that’s in everything, not only on the ice but off the ice. Everyone has to know exactly what their role is and how important their role is, and they have to understand that, and they cannot worry about someone else’s role. They have to do their own, but understand that they need the other person for them to have ultimate success. People should always know where they stand; they should never have to guess or worry. They should never have to worry about bad news. There’s three types of news: Good news, bad news, and the worse news is no news. You cannot correct anything if you don’t have news. I believe that accountability is when you know what your role is and responsibility and you deliver.

On not having to do a true “rebuild” in New Jersey and how he’s going to approach one in Toronto:
I think what you do is you take a step back and see exactly what is there. In my conversations with Brendan, there is no question that part of the understanding had and had to have with him is that you have to have patience. The organization has tried it another way. The draft has to be approached. If young players are ready to play, we have to make sure they are and make sure they’re surrounded by people to help them grow. There will be pain and gain, gain and pain. There might be two steps forward and one back, and it might be creeping. But you can’t two steps forward and three back. Patience is the word there. You can’t get upset if you have a bad game. You have to dismiss it, you can’t analyze it and you can’t destroy it. This is a game of confidence, this is a game where players have to believe that they have a chance to have success. They have to believe they’re going to be given that opportunity. That’s what has to be convinced. A season is a marathon, not a sprint.

On whether every player has a clean slate with him or if he’s going to listen to others in making judgments on players:
What I’m going to do is ask people, “what do players do well?” I don’t want to know what they cannot do. I’ll find that out. I want to know what you believe players do well and what their assets are. Everybody has liabilities. I don’t want to hear those.

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