Dave Lewis, Boston Bruins Head Coach

We were thinking about this earlier today and I don't believe in the history of this radio station we been on a long time. I don't believe we've ever had a coach or a manager of one of the professional sports teams in this town. -- studio and take phone calls from fans we've certainly had coaches in studio we've interviewed all of them we've talked all of them. But we don't believe we've ever had a coach who's been willing to a -- and take phone calls from fans and discuss particularly the season just ended. It was for the revolution did -- it is too bad if it if if they you know if you win a World Series or win a Super Bowl it's probably easy to sit and take phone calls from fans is they got nothin' but love for you of that. Dave Lewis joins as the head coach of the Boston Bruins in the in the aftermath of a season that didn't included championship or even a playoff performance and it's could see -- thank you well you're very welcome Bob question before we start was that you're right -- the -- music not fog hat -- have a good tryout -- part that's.

I think it's right -- we're probably look in the switch up that opens with switch up the music to a Japanese yes and no that's lied that's my. Let us I do haven't we do have a Dave Lewis on all we have a Dave Lewis -- because you know if there's some. So promotes and all year. Out of self interest in my part what you mentioned that you're reading patriot rain. Immediately call you uncle day you're you're not my that's out now play every -- here today. There -- better regular stuff. It let the book was very good by the way really injured and I appreciate -- the next coming -- not Tedy Bruschi book on numbers which is actually it's going to be. -- agreed to let.

Start at the beginning here and and I understand it would have been harder for you to answer this question in October because you had a season apply. In the aftermath of the season what are your realistic expectations going into the season based on the team that you knew you were going to take on the ice doctoral.

Well reflecting back -- and living through as the season progressed with you know we start the season with a group of guys are really -- spent a lot of time together I think they continually talked about that we -- collection of players relief team. And and as the season went on there they got to know each other little bit better I think professionally they got to know which other personally get to know each other they they knew the dynamics of the locker room of course it changed over time too because some of the movement that we had. But you know I think going in it was we were in a position hopefully we thought our mind that we can fight for that 73 its playoff spot. And we did that we did that we could never put a string of games together and then but once we lost a couple of key guys with axis of Murray it's sort of unraveled from there at that point we were still in the hunt but we we fell off from that point. So there was there was girl we were looking out the dynamics of the team on a day to day basis on a week to week basis knowing that a lot of guys have never really played in a so called big. Game we had half the team that never been in the playoffs there was a lot of things lot of questions. And you know we found some answers but obviously we didn't find enough has been on the playoffs.

A couple of weeks ago gave dale had the day off I was in here and Alastair -- on that day. That you were about to be fired over the weekend because I'm reading the story about Boston globe by Kevin Paul DuPont right and they were some very strong provocative quote from Jeremy Jacobs and there. And the among other things you said Peter shortly -- told this many times that he feels like. We need to make a change at the head coaching spot. I told him to do it. What were your what were your thoughts on that article because I was blown away by all.

Well the one thing that I thought of it appears case was that it's great to have a full autonomy it's great to have that authority on because that's really. In our organization that I came from that's how it's operated that. Each person has responsibility the coach coaches the assistant coaches have their duties -- general manager has duties the chiefs -- as his duties. The president has their duties in the ownership of their duties so hum as a line of command that is pretty Normal you know any time you hear your name with the word fired I guess you don't like that it's not comfortable but in this business or any pro sports your hired basically to get fired unless you're going to be. A long long term coach I mean Scotty Bowman was fired sparky Anderson -- mean there's a lot of great coaches that have you know. Fallen off and it's I felt like a coach when I got fired from Detroit -- and now I'm going to coach and turned. In the aftermath of the season I know everybody does their assessments they look at the players you told me you were going to look at everything from the coaching perspective. Head coach assistant coach's duties how you how you apportioned things. After you've done that or at least part of that if you look back on the season what do you think was the biggest mistake you made this year. -- I said this publicly to I think I assumed maybe a little too much coming from an area our background of growth over the years and how. How much growth is needed 14 to be successful when I -- successful I mean real successful. In the locker room I dynamics of it dealing with the pressure dealing with the performance on a regular basis you know the accountability of coached a player player a player I think house to improve. The Nam you know some of the discipline has to improve and there's areas that -- the evaluated the last weeks of the season is over that. We've identified we'd recognize it during the season too but. You know I don't often answered your question there's more than one thing I mean it's that a lot of little things that become one largely.

Let me ask you about the accountability issue here I remember that the game vividly it's December 30 -- in Nashville. You lose five Mathis right and I hear you after the game talk about how well you thought your team play up. And I remember and sit at home because the game was in national I'm sitting at home I'm going how could he think his team played well they just got beat five nothing and I thought got their rear ends and two -- Were you holding these players responsible enough for how they were playing time. I still think reported your game yeah

watching the video talking to nationals coaches after the game they felt fortunate. Now for whatever that means the five nothing score is obviously you know you look at a culture say how can you talk about a team being. You know playing well or playing hard you lose five nothing -- sometimes that happens and then sometimes you play really bad he could win -- all three Warner whatever. But there are certain things you look for is a coach and you know the bottom bottom line is results this win loss. It's a result oriented business but also you look for. Some positives and some things he did well and I thought at that point we get some things well but that that's just one game one incident and oh we had a lot of games where. You know we weren't good enough from our zone we weren't good enough in the offensive zone we didn't -- you know price and that's you know that's why you know on the --

You know -- coming from Detroit. You've seen a lot of great things is in hockey whether it's championships. Or the ultimate captain and Steve Heisman so now you come here Zdeno Chara has never been a captain before the team had several losses within it was lost by war goals or more in in the -- Chara we kept phone calls all the time. Fans that the -- was how often he should have done this tickets and be -- being captain. What was your analysis of his his captaincy in his first.

Well he came in here as a leader he was an assistant captain -- ought to walk in a different dynamics are he came to Boston. With a huge responsibility of contract -- the huge responsibility of leadership in the captaincy role. And I think as the season progressed he learned a lot of -- himself if you talk to him. Healer to laudable what it is to be captain and as much as you'd like to think just because you put letter on somebody's at that automatically kicks in the place. And it didn't and that's probably natural and everybody wants everything accelerated you know they want to be able to. You know to win 45 games you want to be able to be the toughest team -- more skilled team the best offensive team the best of most disciplined team. And these things do take time and I understand that and I -- an accelerated some of the things that happened and I think wood Z his growth and development and responsibility weighed heavily on him as the season went on. And -- like I said earlier a lot of our himself and he'll be a better player next year than it was this year well at the -- next year will -- be back -- captain next -- yes.

As a lifelong new Englander and lifelong hockey -- if you're a Boston Bruins fan to -- man on the ice holds a certain aura for yet but I Don cherry in the Montreal Canadians. I'm an old school guy who thinks that if you have one too many men on the ice penalties in the season it's too -- If you got 12 it's ridiculous is that a coaching issue or player discipline issue.

Well I gonna have to take blame for the the players also have to take some accountability responsibility it's a shared thing and if you want to be a good team you have to share all kinds of responsibilities are you can point fingers it's not okay so reported the fingers we have to -- managed to many times. Now what's the reason why harder corrective that's my that's my approach and as the season went on the last 40 games our Normal we have one. I think we -- careless at times we have some players it didn't read situations at times we jumped on the ice at times we. Deservedly you know maybe could have few less but we got them. And I agree with you that one is too many and that's something that we've addressed his coaches. And we analyze the reasons why a lot. You know not just recently I mean as as the season went on -- look at them and try to figure it out and hopefully that that's one issue that we won't be talking about next year.

In a table Palmeiro got to New York he made some comments about your defensive system basically saying it's easier now for me in Boston I don't know what the hell they were trying to give me do this do that. As -- many times. What what is is your defensive system and why would it be difficult for a player such as -- you to pick up what you're trying to have to do.

Well we played the same defensive system as the Rangers play. It I mean there's 25 teams -- basically play the same way Anders -- and in the neutral zone it's called the one to two anew when you come back there's a couple of teams do a little bit different as far as claps in the -- side Winger. And one of the things and I am I'm lucky to get into what Paul said one of the things that we. Didn't feel we could afford was losing defenseman -- pension that would be in the offensive zone because of just the way our team. Has was set up and design and we are trying to prevent prevent prevent. And so maybe that's when he was talking about as far as the system goes. You know the systems are pretty basic as far as that goes with 25 teams.

I you know it's pretty basic do you think some your defenseman struggled with it or or was it what was the problem because as I mentioned earlier there are lots of games just got out of hand right. So what -- what do you attribute that --

Well it's. It's not just defense so when you played offense he talk about defense men but defense like offense should be five a group of five. Playing and defense you have a goaltender should have six you have the advantage there we got running around at times in our zone because we are trying to do too much. We would go on to areas and try to look for big yet because everybody wanted us to be physical including only one of the coach to be physical all our end zone be hard to play games. And that caused some problems other times we would collapse and we would get on the wrong side of player position and we might beat three or four feet are position. And not cover correctly thus get a penalty and that creates problems also and now you're defending using a lot of energy to defend. Am you know it's hard for me. To explain how -- every game had a different feel to it but overall we gave up too many goals against and we didn't score enough so to bad combination.

You you mentioned about you know being tough to play against in your own -- and there were times this year where I thought your team was infuriating Lee not tough on. I go back to that game up in buffalo and the Internet and that and the non response. We sought to much of in my opinion not yours I thought too much of that was that because the coaches didn't want responses where you telling guys don't do that.

No not at all at all -- you know as a player there's certain level of pride in is certain level of of response to a situation that may be occurring. And I have to agree with you that we didn't do enough of that I don't think that we. Support each other as a good team does I think that's one of the things that we have to get better -- him as. As as the locker room dynamics changed I saw some of it and we have not got to that point yet where somebody knocks you down I'm going to let him know that that's not. What's supposed to happen so these things have been talked about. But just because you talked about it doesn't mean that's going to happen there there's a process between that communication to. Once you get on the ice as a group of players and the players have to be accountable to each other they have to be responsible for each other and they have to be. It in the foxhole with each other -- and -- talk about that is coaches like who would you want on our team to be in a foxhole with yet. In a real war like we're going to war we've got some people mr. Richardson in a war who can you trust and who can you count on not just in the good times but in the bad times. So we've identified some guys and we've eliminated some guys so we're in that process also.

Dave shortly after you took the job here we had you on the air and I remember you saying something very things that I have a lot of proof right here. At -- when you're in Detroit he had that reputation nice guy. Maybe not the right head coach. In that reputation is something that you're you're gonna have to deal with it is it does it bother you in what do you think of that when you hear people say that now. He's a nice guy he's not he's not a he's -- head coach material.

well the only way to defend that is to win I've heard of coaches that were bad guys. And no fun to play with the they've lost so I don't know -- formula I do know this you have to be yourself to be a coach. And the one thing that I think any coach when you walk away from -- sleep tonight -- did you bring the players accountable you know -- as a system good was a team good enough was a talent paired generate philosophy and all those things are on -- thing I mean in a week from now there's going to be you know a bunch teams knocked off and then the coaches are going to be criticized for well. You know you're supposed to win the cup this year -- just the final four why why did you because you're attributed to nice you weren't disciplined enough. So these are Constance I think in any profession so I have to be myself. I don't know if this is a good analogy but I read I read some books on Joe -- and he's had a pretty successful career read some books and John wooden and he's had a pretty successful career to. And then you read books on you know guy like al arbour and you know he -- he was demanding he was tough. And yet he is he's a good guys so I was gonna say you happen to be an assistant to a guy. What was arguably one greatest hockey coaches of all time with Scotty Bowman. Why do you think he was successful.

Loan.

So long I mean that's a long journey the teams that he took over tremendous teams he knew he had a great bench presence I wouldn't say communication but his biggest strength. He he sort of knew what it took to win my guess in the simplest forms on what kind of player. And his communication became more of what situation you put chew and I know that he went for months -- time not speaking to players and in this world people would go you know your article says Peter -- helped me develop young players how can he communicate with your players of -- doesn't speak to the most guys we have communicating was. To put a player in a situation where the player felt that this is an important role for me in how to were responding that that changed over time to we arrest him along time we are pretty hockey team but to that would be one of his biggest biggest tools -- his biggest assets. And just knowing I guess mowing the league.

I want to go back to the issue responsibility for a minute a couple of days ago the manager of the Cincinnati Reds benched his clean -- hitter. Because he didn't run out a fly ball he looked at the video when he said -- he didn't he didn't run an out come sit out. Where their times this year where you could of or should have sat guys down for various offenses are did sit guys down.

And you know may be the time wasn't writer media wasn't the right person but I did it at that time because there was a great person. And there were some players top players it never. -- never sat down or I guess some teams do at all time I don't ever recall ever seeing nick lidstrom sit down or Steve Myers and sit down mean you've got top guys in the league that. That never ever because of who the -- stature and things like that so I think there are moments when you reflect back that obviously. We have to do something different as a coaching staff if that's what it takes then that's what's going to happen because I don't want to go through process. Like this year ever gained its uncomfortable. It's you put you on the D -- all the time. And a lot of these questions you're asking me it sounds like excuses and I don't want to make excuses -- to show me kind of world and when -- on the national place to hide. And we didn't show up enough.

Are let me ask you then and an excuse question because. I always wonder about this let's take Gallic Patrice Bergeron I think was not the same player this year that he was that I watched a year ago. Now I've heard rumors that he was hurt in different parts during the season to his credit he never said it in right he never made an excuse. If he was in fact hurt for stretches of the year and is he better served. By not saying anything and letting people wonder why his game has slipped or is he better served by telling the truth now in hindsight. Eight couldn't perform the way we wanted because of X or Y.

Well I think you've answered your question because people say when you do all. Lead on that as an excuse you say what courage -- how admirably as a player and that's the kind of players he has he didn't want to use any. Of the things that bother him as a reason why and you know you look back on written certainly sure and the fact anytime you don't feel right you don't play right for the most most part. But he didn't use that so it's it's a lot like. And I keep going back to disguise DRs and you never complained of hoping it just won't play. And that's -- but he was -- at times this jury chipped in once he wasn't feeling a 100% prevail -- what is your team needs. Operative for 2007 to doubt it but you can avoid -- that been in this situation again. Well I think the most important things is the dynamics of continuity of leadership group from the locker room I think that's one area I'd like to be able you know everybody wants that we talked about the sand paper which is determined hockey. -- your players to play against harder players to play games but. Every team wants you to go to any team that didn't make a plastic think they need to 18 it's gonna go to the semifinals or finals it was should have more of it so even though I want that doesn't mean that that's going to be something just along yet and in some of the things we've talked about earlier that we can implement now. You know -- the panel is that we talked about the you know the running around our zone I think these things can be identified in a more responsible fashion. And basically we're a young team as far as a team growing together. -- from the start of the year to the and -- I don't mean age wise like Phil Kessel but I mean as a group of players and people let. Are responsible to each other and accountable to each other and to the coaching staff and knowing what but -- the right time. We have I at least have a better sight I and all the players have a better insight without dynamic.

If pilot teacher team statistics for the year your goals scored went down each period from the first to the right right your goals against went up each period from the first of the third. Shots on goal for the most part reflected that as well. Am I wrong to question whether the team was improper physical condition based on that what.

All based on that you can say we could've worked harder I think one of the things that people tend to forget is the mantle. Conditioning of an athlete and a lot of times you play in an environment where. At the beginning of the game -- fresher eager your grass -- bugle of you don't have anything to lose because you've got 60 minister 55 minutes behind you. Now when he gets to a different part of the game. Some players and I've seen this in the past they want to play not to lose they want to play safety want to be doc and that's. A definite recipe for losing so we talked about that continue to make plays you know you have to count or whatever the other team's going to do because when you have a lead teams from -- DF you start to just play back and play -- you tend to take finally you tend to be careless even all year you reacting instead of just initiating. You're always in a reactionary mode so that's one area we have to correct that has a lot to do with -- the conditioning part of it.

I think it was more mental thing the physical -- that day there was a lot of turnover on your team this year. That the team you brought out in October November was a lot different than team you say goodbye to an April how would you describe your relationship with the general manager Peter --

Ought really get very good conversations talked him daily the same philosophy we -- we see things. Not always the same boat we see things in the light of improvement and where we want to Golan and how we want to get there but the dialogue has been really good really positive and it's. It hasn't been a plus a year for him either it's you know it's been a tough season for everybody Everett from the start and you know our first ten games are really disappointing and we are feeling it you know feeling -- each other in. We sort of grew together and that's the one thing that I think. We can carry into next year is is that the group dynamics now we've had meetings we've talked -- ball. Where we were where we've come and where we want to go and what we house and you know there's still some free agent possibilities Sosa trade possibilities. But for the most part I think we have a better feel for for the whole situation. Dave Lewis is in studio we're gonna get a break