How would you define what you did during the winter? How much hockey did you watch? How much time did you take away? And then more importantly, when you, when did you decide, or was it always in the back of your mind that you wanted to coach again?

You know, at the end of last summer, I think the, the break was really needed, just leaving New York.

It was just ...

It was good.

Um, from there, I was able to do things that they sound so small, kinda, and, but you j- I just don't get to do 'em.

I got to watch my kids play sports.

My son played in the East Coast Hockey League.

Uh, have you changed from place to place, and do you plan on that again, or do you try and stay true to yourself, consistent?

... and what you wanna build

Yeah, I, I had a really good relationship with him in New York.

And, you know, the first year there, I, I think he had 120 points.

That, that maybe was the most that he had ever had.

And I've, I've worked with really good players and, and really all the teams, there's always some good players.

But, you know, I said he was probably one of the most skilled guys that I ever worked with just from a talent level.

Like, God made certain players to have certain gifts and certain, um, assets that they could bring to a team or they can bring even to their own individual game.

... come naturally to you?

So, I mean, the first question is with four assistant coaches, what's the, uh, as a head coach, how do you like to delegate the responsibilities among your head, your assistant coaches?

Yeah, so it was, um, you know, there was, there was some staff that was here m- um, previous to me, um, and just kinda going through things.

Um, uh, DJ was, was here before as an assistant and, um, you know, really focused in on the skills and, um, that part of the game and, uh, had come down to the bench since, when there was a transition in their staff.

Um, just in conversations with him you can see what kind of a positive person he is, um, his relationships with the players, and I feel like developing skills is really important.

Um, and so we're fortunate to, to keep him on and have him as part of our staff.

Um, the bench coaches, I've had three bench coaches for the last couple, um, stints that I've had with different teams.

I just found it to be really useful.

[laughs]

... of this team?

Well, you're, you're right about that.

The, you know, that, that I'm gonna have to get in there and see.

Obviously Drew Doughty's been through a, a whole bunch of wars and, and championship games and, um, has come out on the good side of it, and there's others there as well.

I think I'll get there and start to talk to players.

It's been kind of a whirlwind, to be honest with you.

Um, I saw a few players when I was out there.

He was my roommate, and the next day he was my coach, your assistant.

What do you make of this team?

Well, you're, you're right about that.

The, you know, that, that I'm gonna have to get in there and see.

Obviously Drew Doughty's been through a, a whole bunch of wars and, and championship games and, um, have come out on the good side of it.

And there's others there as well.

I think I'll get there and start to talk to players.

It's been kind of a whirlwind, to be honest with you.

He was my roommate, and the next day he was my coach, your assistant.

What specifically about the chance to be here with the Kings was so appealing to you?

I think like a general manager, when he's going to hire a coach, you ask a lot of people about a coach or the good things, the bad things.

You talk to people that have been to Los Angeles and played for the Kings and been a part of this organization.

They talk about the ownership and the willingness to want to win and want an environment that's successful and the support that they give the team.

And that, to me, is really attractive.

Management and Kenny Holland, there's not a person in the world that says anything bad about Ken Holland.

I knew him, but not just to say hi maybe and to get an opportunity to work for a general manager like that was really exciting.

Once you get beyond that and you get into the nitty gritty, the on the ice, what does a Peter Laviolette team look like if you were to describe it to Kings fans? Yeah, you

In your experience, what separates good teams, like the Kings have been, from great teams, like the ones we're watching now?

Yeah.

So, you know, I, I ...

When, when things happened in the past, I don't, I don't really dive in and focus on that too much because it's been my experience, and there's been teams that I've taken on in the first full year that maybe haven't found success, and have been able to push that, through that, and maybe get to the finals and play for a cup.

And so I don't necessarily put too much on past experiences because every year is different and every team is different.

So it's not about ...

For me, it's not about what last year's team did.

Nice

You need your ga- game breakers in these situations.

You, you do.

I, I...

Oh, I think you gotta keep talking to them.

You gotta ke- at this point, right, you need them.

This isn't about ice time.

This isn't about message sending.

So Lavy, what was your biggest takeaway from game one on both sides really? Is it, uh, you know, they, they were kind of wading their way into the series and there were some mistakes? And, and if you do have that, I mean, what type of adjustments do you look at heading into game two?

You need your gra- game breakers in these situations.

You, you do.

I, I ...

Oh, I think you gotta keep talking to 'em.

You gotta kee- at this point, right, you need 'em.

This isn't about ice time.

This isn't about message sending.

So, Lavvy, what was your biggest takeaway from game one on both sides, really? Is it, uh, you know, they, they were kinda wading their way into the series, and there were some mistakes? And, and if you do have that, I mean, what type of adjustments do you look at heading into game two?

[laughs] Yeah.

But clear, clearly it's, it's been a, a positive thing.

They finished strong in the regular season.

Um, you know, they've moved on through three rounds.

They just, they just took care of Colorado in four games.

So clearly it's, it's been a positive and, um, moving in the right direction.

Um, you know, when I did it, it was mo- it was more the beginning of December.

Yeah.

What would be appealing about a job in Toronto, you think?

Um, I mean, I think, I think that, well, first of all, the fan base and the cities, it's Toronto, right? Like I said, it's the, it's the Cowboys, it's the Yankees of hockey.

It's big.

And so, um, that's, that's an appealing thing.

And, you know, having...

You, you...

As you become an experienced coach, I've coached in all kinds of different markets, I mean, southern markets, uh, two teams in New York, southern markets, um, Flyers, which was awesome.

Lastly, can you just sort of give us a, um, a sense of like wh- when teams are playing Peter Laviolette hockey, what that looks like? What kind of game do you wanna play?

What would be appealing about a job in Toronto you think?

Um, I mean, I think, I think that...

Well, first of all, the fan base and the cities, it's Toronto, right? Like I said, it's the, it's the Cowboys, it's the Yankees of hockey.

It's big.

And so, um, that's, that's an appealing thing.

And, you know, having...

You, you...

Lastly, can you just sort of give us a, um, a sense of like when, when teams are playing Peter Laviolette hockey, what that looks like? What kind of game do you wanna play?

Yeah

... at the beginning of the Montreal series, he caught a flu, and the first two games didn't go his way, and Cam Ward was an up-and-coming rookie, you know, g- great, great goaltender, but he was, he was in, in his rookie year behind, uh, Gerbs.

And it, it got to a point where Cam had been running with it, and he got us into the conference finals against Buffalo.

And I can't remember the, the series and what it was at.

It might've been 2-2.

It might've been 2-2, and we were going to Buffalo f- for game five maybe, or game four in Buffalo 2-1, and we're g- we're down 2-1.

I can't remember exactly, but I remember Cam w- uh, Cam ...

Like, when you look at this roster, how think, how competitive do you think they, they can be if they're playing at their best?

Yeah.

And at the beginning of the Montreal series, he caught a flu, and the first two games didn't go his way.

And Cam Ward was an up-and-coming rookie, you know, g- great, great goaltender, but he was, he was in, in his rookie year behind, uh, Gerbs.

And it, it got to a point where Cam had been running with it, and he got us into the conference finals against Buffalo.

And I can't remember the, the series and what it was at.

It might've been 2-2.

It might've been 2-2, and we were going to Buffalo f- for game five maybe, or game four in Buffalo 2-1, and we're g- we're down 2-1.

... how competitive do you think they, they can be if they're playing at their best?

Yeah.

And at the beginning of the Montreal series, he caught a flu, and the first two games didn't go his way.

And Cam Ward was an up-and-coming rookie, you know, g- great, great goaltender, but he was, he was in, in his rookie year behind, uh, Gerbs.

And it, it got to a point where Cam had been running with it, and he got us into the conference finals against Buffalo.

And I can't remember the, the series and what it was at.

It might've been 2-2.

It might've been 2-2, and we were going to Buffalo f- for game five maybe, or game four in Buffalo 2-1, and we're g- we're down 2-1.

Like, when you look at this roster, how thin, how competitive do you think they, they can be if they're playing at their best?

... uh, you know, we're, we're still just, just getting into the second round, but who's the team that impresses you the most so far this postseason?

I mean, it's, it's too, it's too easy to say that it's, it's Carolina and Colorado, but it is.

If you just watch them play, and, and they're both playing good teams, especially Colorado playing Minnesota.

I mean, and yet Colorado s- seems to, to have their way with it a little bit.

And the one thing about Colorado is that you've gotta make sure defensively that you're above them all the time, from the offensive zone, the neutral zone, and then the interior and the defensive zone.

Like, you have to make sure.

There's so much speed and attack off of that game.

Is it a lot tougher than you make it?

... uh, you know, we're, we're still just, just getting into the second round, but who's the team that impresses you the most so far this postseason?

I mean, it's, it's too, it's too easy to say that it's, it's Carolina and Colorado, but it is.

If you just watch them play and, and they're both playing good teams, especially Colorado playing Minnesota, I mean.

And yet Colorado s- seems to, to have their way with it a little bit.

And the one thing about Colorado is that you've gotta make sure defensively that you're above them all the time, from the offensive zone, the neutral zone, and then the interior and the defensive zone.

Like, you have to make sure.

There's so much speed and attack off of that game.

Is it a lot tougher than you make it?

... uh, you know, we're, we're still just, just getting into the second round, but who's the team that impresses you the most so far this postseason?

I mean, it's, it's too, it's too easy to say that it's, it's Carolina and Colorado, but it is.

If you just watch them play, and, and they're both playing good teams, especially Colorado playing Minnesota.

I mean ...

And yet Colorado s- seems to, to have their way with it a little bit.

And the one thing about Colorado is that you've gotta make sure defensively that you're above them all the time, from the offensive zone, the neutral zone, and then the interior and the defensive zone.

Like, you have to make sure.

Is it a lot tougher than you make it?

What did you think of that, being a coach, of your experience?

Well, you hate to see that happen.

You know, one of your top players, one of your leaders on your team goes down and... you know, you're trying to win hockey games and it's been, it hasn't been an easy grind this year.

And I've been in those situations too, where it's not an easy grind.

And, um, when you take your best player out of the game and it was a, it was just a tough hit to watch, you know, I sometimes, and you guys have been in that position that you, you go to hit somebody at the last second, your reflexes almost take over.

And it's unfortunate when you see something like that happen, but, um, It's, that happens.

I mean, you're right about the way teams are built.

Can you paint a picture at coach, like what you're feeling, what you want to see, what kind of reaction you want to see from your players when something like that happens?

What would you think of that being a coach of your experience?

Well, you hate to, you hate to see that happen.

You know, you're, you're one of your top players.

One of your leaders on your team goes down and, you know, you're trying to win hockey games and it's been, it hasn't been an easy grind this year.

And I've been in those situations too, where it's not an easy grind and you take your best player out of the game.

And it was a, it was just a tough hit to watch.

You know, I sometimes, and you guys have been in that position that you, you go to hit somebody at the last second, your reflexes almost take over.

Can you paint a picture, head coach, like what you're feeling, what you want to see, what kind of reaction you want to see from your players when something like that happens?

What's on the horizon for you?

So honestly, Jay, I'm down in Florida right now.

Things ended in New York.

When they ended, we ended up.

you know, packing up, we went to New Hampshire.

We spent a little bit of time up there with our families.

We're from the new England area.

Yeah,

What's on the horizon for you?

So honestly, Jay, I'm down in Florida right now.

Things ended in New York.

When they ended, we ended up you know, packing up.

We went to New Hampshire.

We spent a little bit of time up there with our families.

We're from the New England area.

What do you make of this team moving forward? Obviously a pretty epic drought in this market looking to push through finally in the Stanley Cup playoffs.