Quotes of the day: Ducharme

MONTREAL -- With a month to go until the tentative Jan. 1 return-to-play date set by the NHL, assistant coach Dominique Ducharme addressed the media via Zoom on Monday to discuss the pro sports landscape.
Below is a recap of what he had to say.

Ducharme confirmed that both short- and long-term preparations are underway, and that no time has been lost:
"It's tough, because we're waiting for news, so it's difficult to make precise plans. But as coaches, we're always looking for ways to improve on ourselves and on our team - and to see things from a different angle. We've been taking this time that we don't usually have to work on our skills and preparations."
"Coaching is a passion. It's possible that not everything we're doing right now will come in handy immediately - it's hard to say - but it gives us a lot to bank on when the opportunities arise."

Asked whether he thinks teams will overhaul their style of play during the break, Ducharme said the possibility of a shortened season will likely determine the answer:
"I'm not expecting huge changes, because we don't know if it's going to be a shortened season. If the season ends up being shortened, teams will need results quickly - and that's not the time to experiment. I can see adjustments being made, but not complete overhauls."
On the topic of integrating newcomers Josh Anderson and Tyler Toffoli into the lineup:
"They bring variety - they're players who are a bit different from the rest of our lineup, be it by their strength, or Anderson's presence in front of the net, or Toffoli's nose for the goal. We won't change our team's identity, but we will add a new look to our offense. These are guys who can play with speed, which is something that needs to be executed both mentally and physically."
On Team Canada's World Juniors squad being forced to quarantine after two players tested positive for COVID-19:
"Team Canada always does things the right way, especially with André Tourigny at the helm. I think arriving at camp earlier than usual was the right decision for them. It gave them the time, in the event of an emergency, to manage things internally and isolate players without losing ground in their preparations. If they had arrived later, the effects would have been more pronounced."
Ducharme reiterated the importance of observing other leagues to best prepare for an NHL return to play:
"We're seeing how things are going in other sports, like the NFL. Teams are sometimes affected, and adjustments need to be made to the schedule. So, it's difficult to predict exactly how things will go for us, but everything we're seeing - whether it's in the QMJHL or with Hockey Canada, in the NFL or MLB - it's all important stuff to reflect on ourselves."
"Everything that's happening around the world now, across every league, will serve the NHL in building a plan. Not just for testing and isolating, but also for best protecting teams and mitigating risk."