Jeff: Darrel, Congratulations to you and the team on an excellent Regular season. Can you tell me if the team is completely healthy going into the playoffs? And does the team expect to have all the players on recall to Columbus back in time for game 1 of your playoffs? Thanks and Good Luck in the postseason Darrel Scoville: We are pretty healthy. There is always a few bumps and bruises the guys have. Those are the injuries that you have to play with in the playoffs. As far as I know, we will be getting all the guys back on recall from Columbus either Saturday or Monday.
Crazy Crunch Fan: How does it feel to be a part of the defence that helped J-F Labbe tie the AHL shutout record this season? Darrel Scoville: It makes you feel the defense did their job. Most of the credit has to go to JF Labbe because he still has to make the saves to preserve the shutout.
Crunch: Who do you feel is the Crunch MVP this season? Darrel Scoville: I would have to say JF Labbe would be our MVP. He started off slow but came on strong near the end of the year. It shows by him tying the AHL shutout record.
Scott in Syracuse: Hi Darrel. Congratulations on a great season! What do you say to the people who think the Crunch are overrated because of their schedule? Here's to a long playoff run! Go Crunch! Darrel Scoville: You still have to win the games you play. So, I don't believe the people who say our schedule is weaker. The reason the other teams have those losses is because we beat them so many times.
MDudley: What's the status of your foot injury? Which team would you prefer to play in the first round of the playoffs? Thanks for a great season. Good Luck in the playoffs---- GO CRUNCH!!!!!!! Darrel Scoville: My foot injury is fine, as it was a precautionary sit out against Albany on Sunday. I will not miss any more games due to my foot injury. Either Rochester, Philly or Cincinnati. It really doesn't matter because you have to beat four teams to win the Calder Cup.
Go Crunch Go: How does this year's Syracuse team compare to the Saint John team you were on last year? Darrel Scoville: I see a lot of similarities. It starts with great goaltending, along with defensemen that can skate and move the puck well too. And two or three lines that can chip in and score.
Crunch Fan : How far do you think Syracuse can go this year? Will not having faced some of the playoff teams in the regular season affect your chances? Darrel Scoville: I think the lack of playing teams in our conference might be a disadvantage. But the other teams haven't played us either. I think this team has the ability and the work ethic to compete for the Calder Cup.
AJ: What do you do in the offseason? Do you get back to your hometown at all? Darrel Scoville: I spend most of the summer in Scarborough, Maine where my wife is from. And I take two or three weeks to go back to Saskatchewan to visit my family each summer. I take a month off after the season, and then start working out about four or five times a week. And then get ready for training camp by starting to skate, usually at the beginning of August. Before you know it, it is training camp time.
lindsey: hello, how do you like syracuse and if you could play any hwere else in the ahl where would you? Darrel Scoville: My first choice would be Columbus, that's the team I signed with. But if I had to pick another AHL team, I had a lot of fun in Saint John during my three years there. If given the chance, I would play there again.
Crunchfan: Darrel is this tem ready for the challenge of winning the Calder cup. And how does this team compare to the Flames team of last year. Does the Crunch have what it takes to win the CuP? Darrel Scoville: We're ready and we are willing to play anyone. We would love to still be playing hockey in June.
Philip Andrades: Who do you think will win the Calder Cup this year? Darrel Scoville: I would say there is 20 teams in the playoffs. Every team has a chance to win, but I think we will win.
Percy Hsieh: If you could play for any NHL team right now, which one would it be? Darrel Scoville: Any of the teams in the playoffs. I have not played any games in the playoffs in the NHL, as I have only played six games with Calgary in the regular season.
Cruncher: How was the experience of playing under Coach Agnew and Coach Yates this year. Do the players relate well to them? Darrel Scoville: Yes, our two lovely coaches did a tremendous job this year. Players are going to have trouble with coaches, that's just natural. But we had no major problems this year as both coaches were easy to get along with and knew how to treat the players with respect. And vice versa, the players treated the coaches with respect.
Mike Cleverdon: Would you rather be the best player on a bad team or the worst player on a good team? Darrel Scoville: I would have to say worst player on a good team because being on a winning team is something nobody can take away from you. Other teams always want people that have won, not lost during their careers.
Moderator: This ends our chat with Darrel Scoville. He has a few words for all the fans out there.
Darrel Scoville: I would like to thank everyone for the questions and I hope all the people in the Syracuse area will come out and support us in the playoffs because we have a great team here and we have a relly good chance of winning the Calder Cup.