David Ling Interview:  January 25, 2002
by Loree Barnes

David Ling is not a newcomer to the NHL.  Although, this second visit to the “show” has brought about a lot of talk among his family, friends and fans from his hometown to the various cities he has played.  For being an opponent’s worst nightmare on the ice, this guy has a lot of people that admire him and wish him well during his recent call up to the parent team Columbus Blue Jackets.  Recent articles have touted this information, and it would seem that the amount of people backing him would be some pressure for him.  He will assure you, though, that the majority of pressure to perform well at the NHL level comes from within.  It is the ultimate realization of his dreams that only David Ling can make happen. 

 He has played in four NHL organizations to date.  With the Columbus franchise being in its infancy there was a curiosity of how the system is meshing together.  The bond between the parent team and the Syracuse organization has been handed the test of launching a fledgling operation.  Having been a part of other similar, yet established, systems, Ling feels that the association between Columbus and Syracuse is doing quite well.  The parent team is taking advantage of the younger players at the AHL level who are performing well for advancement.  This is ultimately the way the system should operate, however, the call-ups and constant changes of roster at both the NHL and AHL arena sometimes disgruntle the fans.  A sense of uneasiness among the fans seems to fester, and they begin to wonder if the constant motion of players is what keeps their team from performing well.  The question was posed to Ling, and his response is that it does “shake-up the players, but in a good way because everyone gets a chance.  We work harder knowing there is a reward.” 

 There was a stretch that the fans of the Crunch thought they might never see another win this season.  The constant critical response was that Columbus was calling up too many players and injuries were taking a toll.  This is not unlike situations in other organizations.  Keeping in mind that the parent organization is a new franchise, and things are still in the “growth” stages of operation, Ling was asked what issues he felt caused the slump for the Crunch, and how the AHL team would handle the remainder of this season.  He replied, “There were a bunch of new players in Syracuse this fall, and it took time to gel.  Now that the guys have gotten familiar, we are in a contender position.”