Quotes of the Day: Shea Weber and Claude Julien

BROSSARD – It was the final day of Canadiens training camp on Saturday, and the Habs wrapped things up with one last scrimmage at the Bell Sports Complex.

The players were split into two teams, playing to a 0-0 draw.

Following practice, Shea Weber and Claude Julien shared their final thoughts on the group’s preparations over the last two weeks, before flying to Toronto on Sunday morning.

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Keep reading for the best quotes from the day.

Shea Weber on how he’ll spend his last night in Montreal:

I’ll probably just relax. The last few days have been pretty intense, and guys are really ramping it up – so it’s been good. I think I’ll just enjoy the last evening here in Montreal, probably for a while, and get ready to get into it.

Weber on the advantage Canadiens’ youth will bring:

Everyone talks about how young we are all the time, and this might be one of those situations where our youth can bring that energy. You talk about guys getting prepared – a lot of times younger guys can get ready at the drop of a hat, there’s not as much of a build-up. So hopefully that works in our favor in this case. We’re playing a very good team with a lot of experience, especially in playoff games. So it’s going to take a lot from everybody, but it’s definitely something that we’re up for.

Video: Shea Weber on Day 12 of Phase 3

Weber on fine-tuning in Toronto:

I think we’re trying to peak at the right time, and we’ve still got a little bit of work left. We’ve got an exhibition game coming up against Toronto, and we’ll use that to work out a few more kinks in a situation where we’re not just battling against our teammates. We’ll be back in live action against a divisional opponent. 

Weber on the naysayers:

I’ve got no problem with that. We can be underdogs all day, that’s fine. It’s a situation that we’ve all been in before, and nobody should take offense from that – and no one should listen to it. I think the belief in this room is that anything can happen. You look at the history of playoffs over the years and strange things have happened. Teams go on a roll at the right time, get good goaltending, stay healthy… and you just never know what can happen.

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Claude Julien on how the Habs and Pens stack up:

We know that they have an advantage [when it comes to playoff experience], but that doesn’t mean we feel inferior. There’s a confidence in our group that if we play the way we’re able to, and we use our speed and explosiveness while respecting our opponent’s strengths – we have a good chance of succeeding. That’s our approach heading into the series.

Video: Claude Julien on Day 12 of Phase 3

Julien on the significance of this opportunity:

I’m hearing a lot of feedback from people getting excited about hockey coming back. Even if it’s in the middle of the summer – you’d think people would have other interests – but they’re excited about playoff hockey. So, that we’re able to bring that to them is awesome. Say what you want, but our sport is an entertainment job and we’re here to entertain people. Hopefully we can give them some great hockey, get some of that passion back, and bring some joy to people who have gone through a lot of difficult times over the last four or five months.