Ryan McDONAGH
SERBY’S SPECIAL STANLEY CUP Q&A WITH ...
Captain Ryan McDonagh goes into the corner with The Post’s Steve Serby for a Q&A ahead of the Rangers’ first-round series against the Canadiens.
Q: What do you like best about this Rangers team?
A: I think the good mixture of experience, guys [who] have been together for a while and a lot of new faces. And certainly a goaltender and goaltending combo that has a lot of experience — Henrik [Lundqvist] being the backbone there gives our team a lot of confidence.
Q: Is there anything you’ve noticed in the last few days that tips off the state of readiness of this team?
A: Just the anxiety, the anxiousness amongst the group. You clinch the playoffs with a week or two to go, it’s never easy. You’re just anxious, you’re ready for that next step and that next level of intensity in games where your season’s on the line. So for us, it feels like a long time coming, even if it hasn’t been maybe more than two weeks. But our group has been anxious, and we’re really excited for one another.
Q: Did you watch the Giants’ parades after they won their Super Bowls and the Yankees’ parade after they won the 2009 World Series?
A: Yeah, we even got pictures of the Rangers in ’94, their parade. It’s a moment I could envision right now, and something that would be a great experience. When you win here, there’s nothing else like it, so I’m trying to make that happen.
Q: So you do visualize?
A: You have to have that vision in your head of what it will feel like, and you put that in the back of your mind and take it one step at a time, one day at a time, and try and go about it the right way with your process and make sure you do what you can to make it happen.
Q: But you do remember watching those parades?
A: I’ve seen clips of them on ESPN ... the amount of people that show up (chuckles), that’s pretty incredible.
Q: You’ve watched clips of the ’94 parade, too?
A: We’ve got pictures around MSG and our training center here [in Greenburgh]. It’s a defining moment for the franchise, and something we’re trying to repeat.
Q: Madison Square Garden during the playoffs?
A: It’s a great building to play in during the regular season, but then you get to the playoffs and the intensity, the volume in the building goes to a whole ’nother level. It’s a great stage to play on ... so it makes you want to go out there and succeed knowing that there’s been so many big moments in sports history that have gone on there.
Q: How do you enjoy being captain?
A: I like it a lot. It’s a great honor representing an Original Six team, and it’s such a great market, great franchise with a fan base like this that really cares about their team and follows it very closely. [It’s] a little bit of extra responsibility for sure as far as keeping players in line and doing things that we want to do here to be successful, but it’s a fun challenge as well. It helps my game stay at the level it needs to stay at, and obviously having a couple of years under my belt and having great teammates to help me along the way, it makes for a great experience.
Q: How do you think you’ve evolved as a captain?
A: More so mentally, just how to approach it every day. Not get too stressed out or overthink things. Make sure that I’m doing what I need to do to be the player that I need to be for this team. If I can’t go out there and play the way I need to play because I’m worried about other things going on around the team, then that’s not doing any help for our group.
Q: Any leaders that you admire?
A: I always look at quarterbacks. Football’s such a big sport in our country, I love watching it. You look at the success Tom Brady has had or Peyton Manning. The reason they win championships and the teams that they play on are always competitive is because of the people that those guys are. They’re the guys that everybody’s looking to in big situations, and they always seem to step up and make big impact plays to help their team win, so that’s something I try and strive for with my game.
Q: Did you study Derek Jeter being a captain?
A: That’s another guy right there you could talk about stepping up in crucial moments. And certainly when you come to New York, you learn about the New York Yankees and their success over the years. I follow baseball as well and
watched them win World Series, too. No question he’s probably the biggest reason why over the years they’ve had so much success. Obviously, you read some of his quotes, he’s got a tremendous attitude toward sports, and recognizing the importance of having great teammates and making sure that they have good success too.
Q: Your on-ice mentality?
A: I try to be the toughest player to play against. Obviously I think as a defenseman, you want to be known to opposition forwards as a tough player to play against, someone who’s gonna be in your face, good skating ability, tough to get around, not gonna give you a lot of time and space to make your plays that you want to make. But then use my skating ability to get on the offensive side and be creative there, and just try and be an impact player every shift, someone guys can look to and make sure that they’re playing to the same intensity.
Q: What drives you?
A: Just that feeling of winning. Wanting to feel that winning emotion. ... You don’t know if you’re gonna get many more opportunities at competing for a Stanley Cup. We’ve got a great opportunity here. I just really want to try and seize any opportunity I can to be successful.
Q: What makes Hank, Hank?
A: You always hear about his competitiveness and his intensity as far as how he prepares. I don’t think you have to tell many people it’s second to none as far as a goalie I’ve played with, and it’s the reason why he is so successful. He does it to not only get himself ready but to show the team how much will he has and how much he wants to be part of a successful group here.
Q: What would you tell Rangers fans about the conf idence the team has in Hank in these playoffs?
A: You gotta look at his experience. His experience is right up there with
the best in the league right now. A lot of games played, a lot of big moments of stepping up and making a big-impact save or big difference in a game. This is what he works all year for — the start of playoffs — being there for the team and [being] the backbone back there and making game-winning saves.
Q: Alain Vigneault?
A: One of the best coaches I’ve had as far as preparing a team for an opposition night in and night out. Doesn’t leave any detail behind, has a lot of experience, [and] everything he says is usually true.
Q: You’ve got three key rookies — Jimmy Vesey, Pavel Buchnevich and Brady Skjei. Do you have to talk to them about what awaits them in these playoffs?
A: Not only me, but just coaching staff, players ... it’s tough to put into words what playoff hockey’s like. You gotta figure it out for yourself and experience it for yourself. But it’s gonna be fun to watch those guys. They’re very hungry players and [they’re] gonna be playing some big, important roles for us, so we’re excited to have them.
Q: If they asked you, “What is playoff hockey like?” what would you tell them?
A: It’s just a different intensity level, there [are] no small plays. Just when you think it’s going well, it can turn in a flash against you. Just stay calm in the moment and keep breathing, and make the plays you know you can make.
Q: Getting to the Cup f inals in 2014 against the Kings, did that teach you anything about what it takes to win a Cup?
A: You throw everything out that you’ve done before and you’ve gotta step up again and continue to try and be a difference-maker. Obviously now it’s tough thinking about being on the losing side of that. You definitely never want to feel that way again.
Q: Does that feeling still drive you?
A: Yeah it does. You can relate to it in life and obviously sports. It’s not always gonna perfect and the way you want, but it’s how you face those challenges and you face that adversity that defines you.
Q: Was that the most painful defeat?
A: Yeah for sure. That’s the pinnacle of where you want to be as a hockey player, playing for that Stanley Cup, the long road it takes to get there. [It’s] not something that’s very easy to talk about.
Q: Best Rangers moment?
A: Obviously winning the Eastern Conference f inal there on home ice was a great experience, being able to represent the Rangers in the Stanley Cup final. Any time you can advance that far, it’s still a great
accomplishment and a great group of guys to share that memory with.
Q: You log heavy ice-time minutes. What’s the key for you?
A: It is a lot of work in the offseason, a lot of conditioning, a lot of help (chuckles) from the training staff, too, making sure the body feels good, and doing the right things away from the ice to prepare yourself physically and mentally.
Q: You live in Manhattan. Are you recognized?
A: Yeah, it happens. It’s a perfect balance, I think. Obviously it is such a big city, and not everybody’s a hockey fan or Ranger fan, so you can go about your day and not get recognized at times. But certainly there are a handful of Ranger fans out there that will say hi.
Q: If you could pick the brain of any hockey player in history ... ?
A: Chris Chelios is always the guy I remember watching and I’ve gotten to meet him before and kinda listen to the way he talks about the game. A guy [who] just competed so hard, and that’s something I try [to] emulate.
Q: Biggest practical joker?
A: Probably a combination between [Dan] Girardi and [Marc] Staal. Those two can get under people’s skin and they don’t miss a beat (smiles). Nothing anybody does around here [goes] unnoticed with them, and they’re pretty good about calling guys out.
Q: Has fatherhood (daughter Falan, 6 months old) changed your life?
A: It definitely puts things in perspective as far as leaving the rink on a so-called bad night or whatnot. She brings a lot of joy to you and my wife [Kaylee] as well. It’s just been a lot of fun to see her grow up (chuckles) and change. It’s only been six months but she’s already changing week to week. So it’s been a challenge at times, but something we’re both working together as a team and it’s working pretty good so far.
Q: Have you changed diapers?
A: Oh yeah.
Q: Any good at it?
A: I think I’m good, I don’t know if my wife would say I’m good (smiles). I feel like I could handle a tough one, so to speak (laughs).
Q: Favorite NYC restaurant?
A: Coming from Minnesota, I never really experienced great sushi. The sushi in New York is pretty incredible, there’s some great spots, Nobu and Tao being some of my favorites.
Q: What message would you give to Rangers fans as this team enters the playoffs?
A: Just don’t lose faith in us, and believe in us. We’re gonna go out there and leave it all on the line for you guys. And keep that Garden rocking, ‘cause it’s a fun place to play when you guys are behind us like that.