East Meadow, NY–
“It’s the vibe from the media and from the fans,” Roy said. “They get to the rink excited, and I think it transpires to the players.”
I’d like to think [they can exist today]. I’d be very disappointed [if they didn’t]. Would it be fun to play the Rangers more? Yes. But that’s the that’s the new NHL. Rivalries are extremely important for the game and for any sport, but even more importantly, for hockey.
When I was in Denver, we’d play Detroit four or five times, six times if it’s not, and they were battles. Same thing when I was in Montreal with Quebec and Boston. They would play them eight times. The fans were pumped, and I feel it’s almost like they never had enough. They wanted more and more.
The tough part is they have to focus on 200 by 80 and not what’s around the 200 by 80. Sometimes it’s tough, but the team that does that the best, I think, normally, has an edge.
