I was able to talk to Jason Labarbera (in a small group) and Peter Harrold (one-on-one) prior to the AHL All-Star game in Toronto this week. Below are the interviews. I also met and interviewed Adam Oates, Steve Thomas, John Ferguson Sr, Mike Keane, AHL Hall of Famer Dick Gamble, Dustin Boyd, Matt Lashoff, Darren Haydar, Dustin Byfuglien and Mathieu Darche.
I was very impressed with Jason, his attitude and how he interacted with the media.
More posted here with even more to come when I find the time...
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?blogger_id=51
Enjoy!
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JASON LABARBERA
Q: How're you holding up?
JL: Oh I'm fine. I mean, obviously you want to be playing in the NHL that's everybody in this league's goal but what are you going to do? I just look at it like it's so out of my hands and there's nothing I can do about it so I just looked at it like I need to go out and play well in Manchester. Who am I to go into that dressing room in Manchester and be sulking and ruin 20 other guys' season? You don't need that. Those guys are trying to get to the NHL too so that's just the way I looked at it. I take pride in the way I play and who I am so it's been fun and we're winning so that's all you can ask for.
Q: Are you unrestricted after this season?
JL: I think I'm restricted. So I don't know what's going to happen.
DT: Has Dean said anything to you about next year?
JL: I haven't really got a feel for it really. I mean I think they're pretty happy with what I've done down there and all you can do is control how you play and whether LA does... there are always other teams watching so who knows.
Q: Your job is not to make policy but do you have any solutions to this mess? Like what would you like to see done?
JL: Well I think they should get rid of the rule.
Q: Just entirely scrap it?
JL: Ya I mean I don't know what they could do I mean I guess I kindof understand their thinking a little bit with it..
Q: So you can't stash people..
JL: Right but at the same time obviously it handcuffs everybody too in certain situations. I don't know if maybe they could change it just for the goalies because there's really only two goalies you know? If one guy gets hurt and you have a veteran guy down.. for players there's so many more players you could call up but for goalies if you can't call up your third best goalie, it doesn't really make any sense. I don't know ' the only thing I could think of is maybe just for the goalies but..
Q: There's precedent for that, for having different rules for goalies..
JL: There should be (laughs).
Q: From the sounds of things, over the past few months the Kings are almost more frustrated by it..
JL: Well I mean I don't blame them. It's tough when you can't call up your best available players I would think it would be hard but what are you going to do? You could bang your head against the wall as much as you want but it's not going to change. I think everybody kindof had a feeling that might happen. They were obviously hoping that nobody got hurt and absolute worst possible scenario has happened and it's kindof effected their season I think so what're you going to do? That's just the way it is and hopefully they make a change to that rule, I don't know if they can but we'll see what happens.
Q: How was your season last year.. how did you enjoy that?
JL: It was good. I mean, I started off really well last year and was playing well and for about two months I kindof struggled there and for the first time in probably my life I kindof lost my confidence and I didn't really know what happened but the last half of the year I felt like myself again. It was a rollercoaster ride for sure and I learned a lot and hopefully I can.. I think I took off what I did for parts of last year and brought it into this year and hopefully I can just build off what I've been doing this year so hopefully I get a shot next year and we'll see. I don't have a clue what's going to happen ' I just have to keep playing well and see what happens.
Q: Thanks for your time.
JL: No problem.
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PETER HARROLD
DT: Just wondering if you can talk a bit about your time in LA, what that was like playing under Crawford.
PH: Well it's a dream come true to be able to play up there and I had a lot of fun. The older guys made me feel welcome and help me out whenever I needed it and gave me good advice. The coaching staff was the same way, kindof took me in and showed me everything to do and gave the benefit of the doubt most of the time and were patient with me so it was a lot of fun, a good learning experience.
DT: Was there anyone especially who helped you out?
PH: Mattias Norstrom helped me out a lot. I ended up playing with him quite a bit and for a guy like that to take me aside and tell me when to jump into the play and when not to things of that nature, it was pretty cool..good experience.
DT: Did they talk to you about things that they want to see next time?
PH: Ya. Defensively, it's so hard to play defense against top-flight forwards, especially with the new rules being geared towards offense so kindof body position, making sure you're always between your man and the net and not losing body position on big players. That's really the things you need to work on to be successful up there.
DT: Did you find there was a big jump from AHL to NHL?
PH: Ya there's a jump. The forwards are stronger and faster. It's like from college to the AHL everyone's just a little bit better. It's definitely a transition that you have to get used to.
DT: You went to college with another Kings' prospect Brian Boyle. Do you guys keep in touch?
PH: Oh ya. I'm in Manchester most of the time so it's only about an hour from Boston. So I go down there every once in a while to visit those guys. I talk to him quite a bit.
DT: What's he like as a player?
PH: He's a big forward ' 6'7, 240 and he's got all the raw talent. I'm sure he'll be able to make that step. He's a big kid and a good player so I'm sure the Kings are looking forward to getting him out of college.
DT: Thanks. Enjoy tonight.
PH: Thank you.
My Interviews with Labarbera and Harrold 
Mr. Irreverent
