LAS VEGAS – There’s a dog story that’s got Florida Panthers players squealing with delight this spring.
Since the beginning of the playoffs, we have noticed the inscription “Lead dog”, for lead dog, which is found on the back of the ‘t-shirts’ and tracksuits that the players wear in their daily activities.
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We did not know the origin. On Friday, coach Paul Maurice and Quebec forward Anthony Duclair lifted the lid on the mystery surrounding the team’s rallying cry.
“One day in a meeting before a game, Duclair began by relating, Paul said to us, ‘Be lead dogs. In the forecheck, make sure you’re first…You’re the lead dogs. The guys messed around a bit after that and it became a ‘running gag’ between us. When it came time to find a slogan for the series, we immediately thought of ‘Lead dog’. »
The joke keeps getting bigger the more rounds you win. Four more wins, and she will achieve legendary status.
« Nick Cousins must have something like 12 dog nicknames, ”said Maurice on Friday.
It was already his nickname, but the captain Alexander Barkov calls himself ‘Barky’ (barking) more than ever.
Cousins, who wore the colors of the Montreal Canadiens for one season (in 2019-20), claims to be the whipping boy of his teammates, who turn up saying he is good enough to get himself into trouble .
“I don’t know why, but it seems like a teammate comes to the arena almost every day with a new nickname for me,” said the Panthers’ Turkish head.
“It’s been like that since the beginning of my career. I wonder why, ”he wondered aloud, admitting to being loudmouthed. “Guys like to mess me up. (The defender) Brandon Montour is the worst of all,” he said, taking out of his pockets the laces that had been removed from his shoes in training.
Maurice didn’t want to say too much about the puns or hints about the canine race that make players laugh.
“All the dog terminology they use, I have an idea where it came from, but you have to ask the players,” he said.
“That’s the most hilarious part, I don’t understand half of their jokes. They don’t understand the jokes I make anymore, but the problem is rather generational, ”said Maurice.
“After games, I sometimes talk to them, then I leave because that’s when they have the most fun together. These dog stories belong to them. I don’t want to interfere in that.
“In our own room, we, the coaching group, have our funny stuff together. I’m not trying to hide anything, I tell you. It’s just that I leave that to the players,” concluded Maurice, with a broad smile.
2023-06-03 01:17:59
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