Being exposed at a young age to that helped you in getting prepared to reach the next level. He was an excellent coach. It was a pretty cool experience.

I'm at the age where I've got to prove that I'm just as good as I never was.

You know you're getting old when all the names in your black book have M. D. after them.

Based on how he answers some tough questions, you can tell he's a very mature guy for his age. He has great leadership skills; they're above and beyond what you'd expect. His has all the intangibles. You can tell right away by the way he communicates with his teammates and coaches.

He's doing real good, especially for his age. I think it's because of all the practice he's had through the years. He's been in it since he was a kid. He's just a smooth driver.

[David Branch] brought a real sense of professionalism to a minor hockey team. He obviously has picked up a lot as commissioner of the Ontario Hockey League, and he brought that to our team. He made us accountable.