THIS IS THE BEST TIME OF THE YEAR TO BE A HOCKEY FAN, THAT'S FOR SURE. THE PLAYOFFS ARE GOING FULL FORCE, BUT I'M SAD TO SAY THAT MY TEAM GOT KNOCKED OUT IN THE FIRST ROUND BY THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS.

IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE GROWING UP, I WAS A BIG FAN OF PAVEL BURE WHEN HE PLAYED FOR THE CANUCKS. AND NOW WE PLAY THEM IN THAT SAME TEAM IN THE PLAYOFFS, THOUGH BURE ISN'T THERE ANYMORE.

SO I'M PROUD OF OUR TEAM THIS SEASON AND DESPITE LOTS OF SETBACKS, WE MADE IT INTO THE PLAYOFFS. KNOW MY GUYS FOUGHT HARD, BUT THIS WAS NOT OUR YEAR. I CANNOT WAIT TO BE BACK WITH THEM ON THE ICE NEXT SEASON AND BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE.

EVERY DAY I MAKE PROGRESS AND AM CLOSER TO MEETING MY GOALS. BUT THE OFFSEASON BEGINS FOR OUR TEAM AND WE BEGIN THINKING ABOUT AND PREPARING FOR NEXT SEASON.

IT WILL BE AN IMPORTANT YEAR NOT ONLY FOR THE NHL, BUT ALSO FOR THE OLYMPICS. AS AN AMERICAN, I CAN TELL YOU IT WOULD BE A GREAT HONOR TO PLAY FOR OUR COUNTRY. IT WOULD BE A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND SOMETHING I AM REALLY WORKING TOWARDS ACCOMPLISHING. ANY TIME YOU CAN REPRESENT YOUR COUNTRY IT IS A GREAT HONOR. IT IS A BIG GOAL OF MINE THAT I PLAN OF REACHING.

SO WHERE ARE ALL THE JUNIOR PLAYERS AT? ISN'T THAT WHAT WEPLAY IS REALLY ALL ABOUT? THOSE ARE SOME OF MY BEST MEMORIES - HAVING FUN WITH ALL OF MY BUDDIES. RUNNING AROUND THE HOTELS AT OUT OF TOWN TOURNAMENTS. I MISS WINNING CHAMPIONSHIPS AND JUST PLAYING HOCKEY WERE - ALL AWESOME MEMORIES. JUST SOME ADVICE I GOT GROWING UP THA TI CAN PASS ALONG TO YOU...

REMEMBER WORK ETHIC WILL BEAT SKILL IF SKILL DOESN'T WORK HARD.