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Friday, 16 September 2011 11:21

Written by Seth Rorabaugh

Penguins forward Chris Kunitz spoke today about the team's power play, his role as a net-front presence, the return of former Ducks teammate Teemu Selanne and the new Winnipeg Jets.

Do you have any individual goals this season?

"Just strictly team goals. Be a team that's trying to get to the Stanley Cup finals. Have a good start. You want to have chemistry and gel as a team. I think that's what training camp is. Push each other to become a better team. We can't accept losing in the first round."

Does Sidney Crosby's potential absence impact how you prepare in anyway?

"Obviously it changes personnel and how things shake out during camp. I don't know what lines and things are going to be like. You want to be able to play with anybody. I got to play with (Jordan Staal) and (Evgeni Malkin) for some time. I liked it. Where ever you can go and help the team, that's where I'll put myself."

How much does his potential absence impact the team?

"I don't think you ever want to have to prepare playing without the best player in the league. He brings so much to the team. With rumors, reports, you don't really know what's going on. You don't want to texting or calling him. He gets asked enough questions by everybody else. It looks like he's doing great. But if you got to play without him, I think we have the personnel in here. We're pretty deep as a veteran team. (Mark) Letestu and (Dustin Jeffrey) came in here last year, some guys down the middle who really helped out."

"I think that was probably our one area in the playoffs that we really struggled that could have been a game changer. It's an area we have to get better at if we want to be one of the better teams in the league. I think it's something we're going to strive to do."

"We really haven't talked about it yet. The net-front presence, if the puck goes there and you outnumber them, you have a better chance of putting it in. But if no one's at the net, it's tough to score on a goalie from 90 feet or 45 feet from the net.

What's your reaction to seeing former Ducks' teammate Teemu Selanne put off retirement?

"It's exciting for the NHL to have a player of his caliber still being able to play. He's such a great teammate when you're with him. He can really chaperone the younger guys and show them how much fun a veteran guy has at his level and his age of the game. For him to just go and play for the love the game is something a lot of guys will admire."

"He's fun to watch. He's a guy you like to be around him. He's a fun guy just to talk to. He's a fun guy to tell stories about places he's been. He's a really good human being. He's a true professional. He also has fun at the rink. He always has a smile on his face. It doesn't matter lose or win or have a hat trick or is a minus-3. He definitely bring his personality to the rink and his teammates definitely benefit from that."

You spent part of your NHL career in Atlanta. Will it be weird not making that trip and going to Winnipeg instead?

"I wasn't there very long. I only played two games. But I think it's different anytime a team moves venues. I think Winnipeg brings a lot to the NHL. A different fan base than in Atlanta. A lot of excitement. I'm happy for those people in the Winnipeg area that get to experience NHL hockey again."

(Photo: Paul Bereswill/Getty Images)

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