Various NHL players are in Toronto for the BioSteel Camp going on from August 22nd-25th, including Taylor Hall, Tyler Seguin and Connor McDavid. TSN caught up with a variety of players talking about different topics.
Hall on joining New Jersey:
I’m excited for a new opportunity, a new start, a new group of guys and a new city. I enjoyed my time in Edmonton, but I’m trying just to look forward at the situation in New Jersey. It’s going to be a lot different, I’m looking forward to maybe having a little more anonymity.
On the possibility of playing with former junior teammate Adam Henrique:
I get asked that all the time, and you know lines switch all the time in a season. There are going to be a few guys I play with most of the time. Adam is certainly a great player and we had a lot of success in junior so that’d be a lot of fun to play with him. In that top-six in Jersey there are a lot of guys that have skill and look like they’d be great linemates to play with.
McDavid on the trade that brought in Adam Larsson:
Losing Taylor is a big loss, but you add in a guy who is one of the toughest guy in the league if not the toughest in the league. Adding a guy like Larsson is pretty underrated. You would only know how good he is once you actually play against him on the ice. I’ve played against him a few times; it’s not very fun.
McDavid on the possibility of being named captain of the Oilers:
It would mean so much. That’s the biggest honor I think. It would definitely be an accomplishment I’d be the most proud of, but with that said it’s still to be determined and I don’t want to talk that much about it.
TSN also spoke to Erik Karlsson at the World Cup training camp where he talked about the upcoming season:
I think you know with all the changes we’ve done, and the way we’ve been trending last year there are going to be some changes (to play style). We’re going to try and develop our game and play like the team we know we are.
On his training this summer:
I think I’ve done what I needed to do to play another 82 games and then some, and do it at the highest possible level I can. I think I set myself up really good and you know I feel like I’m really prepared going into this season and facing any challenge that may be thrown against us.
On his improving defensive game:
I think I can do a little bit more to get the puck out earlier, you know spend less time there. At the same time, I think I can skate better and block shots…I want to be a little bit better in everything I do that I was last year.