“Eight days ago, we were the toast of the town. Eight days later we’re Thanksgiving turkeys.”

When I played in a 21-team league, there were six or seven goalies who were just average, and the equipment and pads were smaller. I came in the right era. I played for the right team. It was all speed, and creativity and imagination.

It doesn’t matter what I think. It doesn’t matter what other people think. You have to get on the ice and participate and play and the best team wins.

Lifting the Stanley Cup for the first time. There’s nothing like it. It’s the greatest story. In my era, they used to say you couldn’t be a superstar without winning one. I remember thinking when I lifted it: “Now they can’t say that about me.”

I can’t remember the last time I went to a game and there was a fight. I think they fight more in baseball now than they do in hockey.

You’ll never catch me bragging about goals, but I’ll talk all you want about my assists.

My best friend had a hockey scholarship at Ohio State, so I would get a couple of pairs at the beginning of the season and send them down to him. They practised two hours a day. He’d skate in them for three weeks then ship them back.

I miss all the shots I don’t take.

I think a lot of parents live their lives through the kids. Because they didn’t make it [achieve something], they want their kids to make it. It puts a lot of undue pressure on the kids.

We feel fortunate [with Canada hockey team]. We have got a lot of guys who love to play, but they also love to win even more. We are pretty happy. Although we are young, we like our group of players.

The greatest thing about playing obviously is winning, and you can’t replace that experience with anything.

As a player, you have one responsibility, to focus yourself and be ready for the game. As a coach, your responsibility is to get 20 guys ready and have them all on the same page. If you can’t get every guy ready every night, you’re going to struggle.

Most players go where the puck is. I go where the puck will be.

That’s the hardest part of this whole process. The best part is picking the players and the worst part is telling basically five players they are not going to play tonight.

Nothing can replace the Olympics. I love the Olympics. I was so proud when I played in ’98 and I was so proud when we won in 2002.

Competitive spirit is still at a premium. The more you win, the better you play, the more money you make, so they all have that in mind.

Procrastination is one of the most common and deadliest of diseases and its toll on success and happiness is heavy.

Nothing is forever except change.

People want to change everything and, at the same time, want it all to remain the same.

I want to change history, do something important in my life, and influence individuals like we have with millions of small businesses on Alibaba. Then they love and respect you because you made their life important.

Change the economic base and you will change human beings.

Change your opinions, keep to your principles; change your leaves, keep intact your roots.

The persecution of any minority is inhuman and unnatural. That belief is timeless and beyond change.

Never let money change you.

One moment can change a day, one day can change a life and one life can change the world.