Q. How is this one different from the last ones?
The stakes are higher. And the intensity seems to be coming through. When we come into locker rooms now, the coaches and the players have taken it up a notch. You can feel the pressure. This kind of access is pretty exciting, because as far as I know no one?s ever been this embedded during the playoffs in any sport. So it feels pretty special.
Q. We have to imagine this was a nice change of pace for you and the production team. In the regular season, you?re scratching and clawing for the narratives. Here, it?s all pretty laid out for you.
The narrative?s called the Stanley Cup, so that?s made it easy. [Laughs]
But yeah, you have players like Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton that have lived their whole lives without getting it. You have others like Sidney Crosby and five other Pittsburgh Penguins who want it again.
But it?s all about the Cup. We come off the top of the show talking about the history of the Cup and why it?s important, and set the show in motion from there.
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Q. How on Earth did you get the GMs and teams to sign on off on this, when there?s even pushback during the regular season for this kind of show?
You?d have to send a bouquet of flowers to Gary Bettman, first and foremost.
He?s believed in these projects since their inception in 2010. Now, he?s implored all the GMs and presidents and owners that it?s very important to the growth of the league. He made a statement to all of them, wrote letters and just basically told them that we were coming in, and that we should let us in.
