Even last year when I came in here, I thought expectations were perhaps misjudged,

Sometimes you don't know where winning comes from. One year in Cleveland, we drafted Brevin Knight and Derek Anderson and I'll be damned if we didn't win 47 games. When you get young, enthusiastic energetic players, you can do some things.

I had to start over in Milwaukee and were able to build a (good) team. When I went to Cleveland (in 1985 as vice-president and GM) we did the same thing with a blend of young players and veterans. This franchise is in the same position. It's essential we blend youth in with veterans. We're going to continue that plan and I can see positive results.

I'll be honest with you, when I was 22, 23, 24, I never thought I'd be a coach in the NHL. But I'm excited about the challenge . . . . The last couple of weeks I've been following my son's baseball team around and I kind of got the itch to coach, as silly as that sounds.

We're going into February and Aaron hasn't played much. And we're committed to a youth movement. It was only right and respectful for him, to give him a chance to play elsewhere if he can.

This is kind of tough for me because Rob recommended that the organization bring me. I'm very grateful for that. I will try to steer franchise towards the ultimate goal of winning a championship. Of course, that's a long way away, I realize that. But if we can make positive steps during my interim ? and in bold type interim ? role, I want to do everything I can possibly do to advance this franchise. We are in transition; I recognize that.