By Paul Freeman
At the trade deadline, the Sharks made a valuable
addition, plucking versatile forward Curtis Brown from
the Buffalo Sabres roster. The 28-year-old's
determined, dependable play should enhance San Jose's
chances in the playoffs.
Coach Ron Wilson told TOP SHELF, "He's great on
face-offs, competes for every inch of space on the
ice. That was most important. And he's a good
character guy, too. His coaches have all spoken very
highly of him, of his efforts on the ice and off the
ice, in the room. We thought he'd be a perfect fit for
our team."
TOP SHELF talked to Brown following his first game
with his new team.
TOP SHELF:
Was it a relief to get that first game under your belt
with the Sharks?
BROWN:
Yeah, I think that one's probably the toughest, coming
all the way across the country, trying to learn the
system here, trying to do whatever you can to go out
and fit in and help the team. That's the biggest goal.
It was good. Maybe a couple of loose ends there
tonight. You can always look back and see some areas
that you could shore up a little bit. But at the end,
it was two points. And that was huge. So we'll just
move on to the next game with the good things that we
did.
I think the first game is the toughest. I'll continue
to learn, just little different situations out there,
different systems maybe from what I've been used to.
But at the end of the day, it's hockey and I'll pick
that up quick. Coming to a team at this point in the
season, you just want to go out and help out wherever
you can.
TOP SHELF:
Was it a weird feeling not to be wearing a Sabres
uniform?
BROWN:
No, it's more excitement to put on this jersey,
really. People have asked, "Were you expecting
something?" More so this year than any other year. It
was actually very exciting for me to come here. It's a
great organization and obviously, a team that's
playing very well. As a player, when somebody's
excited to have you, that makes you real excited to go
there, as well. So, I don't know if you can tell by
the look on my face, but I'm pretty excited to be
here.
TOP SHELF:
How do see your role here?
BROWN:
Through my career in Buffalo, I've done everything
from power play to penalty kill and everything in
between -- checking roles, offensive roles. So I feel
comfortable, having played in those situations enough,
that I can go out and contribute in whatever situation
they need me to help out. That's pretty much my only
focus right now. As a player, you just want to
continue to improve every time you come to the rink.
TOP SHELF:
Does it help the comfort level knowing a couple of
guys already -- Wayne Primeau and Alyn McCauley?
BROWN:
Yeah, it definitely helps to know a couple guys. But
it's no surprise this team is doing so well, because
the minute you come in, it's a real team. Everybody's
just great guys, not to mention what good players they
are. They just really accepted me with open arms. That
means a lot for a new guy coming in. You just want to
jell as quick as you can. So that's been exciting.
TOP SHELF:
You've had a lot of playoff experience. At a glance,
how do you size up this team's potential? Do you think
they can have success in the playoffs?
BROWN:
Well, yeah. In my time in Buffalo, the best year we
had, we just snuck into the playoffs. We were in
eighth and we went to the Cup Final. So the biggest
thing anymore is just to play as a team. And I really
see that with this group, different guys going out
there and filling different roles and doing the job.
If you have that type of set-up, you can do some
damage. So, like I said, I'm excited to be a part of
this and we'll just keep moving.
TOP SHELF:
That Cup Final year, that must have been so
tantalizing. Did it just make you want it that much
more?
BROWN:
Yeah, definitely. As a player, I want to get back more
than ever. To have the opportunity to come here and
help out like I said, in whatever situation that is,
it's exciting, especially with the group here. There's
some guys in here with a lot of experience. That's not
everything, but I think it helps. So I just want to
bring whatever I can from my past and to continue
improving, not to rest on what's been in the past, but
to keep taking steps forward.
TOP SHELF:
You won the Calder Cup in the AHL?
BROWN:
Yeah, that wasn't even my first year pro. I got called
up at the end of my junior year and went right down to
Rochester and played the playoffs there and we ended
up winning the Calder Cup. So I've got a Calder Cup
and a World Junior Championship with Alyn and it'd be
real nice to add to that, that's for sure.
TOP SHELF:
Your wife Amy is from California, isn't she?
BROWN:
Southern California, yeah, Orange County.
TOP SHELF:
So is she excited about this move?
BROWN:
Super-excited, yeah. Right now, we're expecting our
second. It's another boy. We have a little guy who's
16 months right now. Number two is on the way. The due
date just happens to fall right in between the end of
the regular season and the playoffs. She's going to
stay back in Buffalo. She's too far along to come out
here right now. I'll hopefully get to go be with her
when the time comes. I can zip home and zip back and
fit everything in.
TOP SHELF:
Is it much of an adjustment, coming to a new
conference?
BROWN:
I think I've been in the league long enough that I've
gotten to play against the other conference enough
that I've gotten to know a lot of the players. I've
been learning on the job for a lot of years. I think
more of the focus is on us and on what we want to do.
I think that's normally the focus for a team. Concern
yourselves with the way you're going to go out and
play and battle and everything else takes care of
itself. Obviously, there may be some things that I'll
have to learn along the way. But I don't think it'll
be that big of an adjustment.
TOP SHELF:
You had to survive the difficult years in Buffalo with
the financial and ownership crises. How frustrating
was that?
BROWN:
Last year, it was definitely a different sort of
situation. You wouldn't wish anybody to have to go
through it. It's definitely good that it's behind us,
behind me and behind the organization, behind hockey.
It wasn't just a bankruptcy, per se. It was legal
matters. I don't know if they'll ever really figure
out what actually went on there. They're trying to
now, I guess, in court. But it's good to have that
behind everybody.
TOP SHELF:
All in all, do you have good memories of Buffalo? It's
a good hockey town.
BROWN:
Yeah, absolutely. My first five years there, we had
very successful seasons. It was a lot of fun. Met a
lot of real good people, some friends that I'll
continue relationships with as long as I live. You
don't spend that amount of time in a place without
that happening.
But in this business, pretty much nobody stays where
they start anymore. To be able to come to San Jose,
I'm just so excited. I'm ready to move on and develop
that type of relationship with the area here and the
people around here. It's been a great start and I want
to just keep going and see where it leads.
