Sitting Down With Lappy
(from It's All About Lappy)
September 22, 2007 - Ian Laperriere was gracious enough to meet up with us in Las Vegas during Frozen Fury weekend and answer some questions. Many thanks to him for his time, and also to Jason, Beckie, and the other Karen for submitting questions.
Question: Since the game is faster now, in the off-season do you have to train differently to keep in shape?
Answer: Yes. I'm leaner than I was a couple years ago because it is faster. And I'm getting older and I've got to keep up with the young pups.
Q: What is your summer training routine? Weights? Running? Biking?
A: All of the above. I do everything — I run, I bike, I do a lot of lifting. I take one week off after the season and then I start. I noticed that if I take too much time off, the older I get, it takes me a lot longer to get back in good shape.
Q: Do you still include Tae Kwon Do in your off-season training?
A: I did Brazilian Tae Kwon Do one summer. Which I liked - I really liked it, but I hurt myself doing it. I hurt my stomach and I needed surgery that summer. But it was a good workout and also strategy-wise when you do get into a fight.
Q: Did you get any belts?
A: No, no belts. You know what? (laughs) I asked my teacher that and he's like "Nope. No need for belts. I'll show you what you need to know."
Q: It seems like you spend a little more time than most talking to players on the other team during the pre-game warm-up. Saying hello or talking trash? Or both?
A: It depends. I say hello to the guys I played with and I know well. And I talk trash to the guys I don't like. It gets me into the game when I do talk and I'm into it. That's the way I approach the game. Sometimes I'll talk trash when I know one young guy wants to 'try me' if you want. Like I said, that's how I get into the game.
Q: Would you like to see Scott Parker take a little more of the tough guy duties this season?
A: It's gonna help me for sure. How much he's going to play, who knows? That's the thing — we've got a really talented team. I don't know if he's going to be in every night. I welcome that for sure. I'll do my share of that and Scottie is going to do the big load — the load I can't handle. (laughs)
Q: Does Magali or your mom or anyone else in your family give you a hard time about fighting?
A: She did last time. Like in pre-season, she's not too happy about me fighting, but again, she understands that sometimes you don't have a choice. But you know, two preseason [games], two fights or three fights, she's not big on that. I'm not either — but usually during the season, as long as I'm safe and I come out in one piece, she's happy about that.
Q: Do you ever worry about controlling your emotion on the ice or going too far — such as the incident with Chris Simon's slash on Ryan Hollweg last season?
A: No, you know what, I know my limits. I mean I'm always in control. Sometimes I lose it, but I don't want to hurt anybody. I do fight and I do want to win the fight, but I don't want to hurt anyone. And I know with a stick you really can do damage. Never say never, but I'm not planning on using my stick as a weapon.
Q: Who makes the decision to fight? Does the coach ever suggest it?
A: No, no (laughs) — he doesn't need to. More often "don't do it" than "do it." Like with Joel, and even with Andy Murray and Larry Robinson — I know my place and I know when. I know when it's time and when it's not time. Most of the time he's telling me not to go, not to fight. But I'm smart enough and I've been around long enough to know when to do it.
Q: Jason from Boulder asks that when Colorado plays the Rangers this year, will you please pound Sean Avery again...please?
A: (Laughs) Haha, I'll try.
Q: You became a fan favorite in Colorado pretty quickly, just as you were in Los Angeles. What do you think makes you so popular with the fans?
A: I don't know, the way I play I guess? You know, people like guys who maybe don't have as much skill as other guys, but work hard, and that's what I do I guess. And people like fighting, I guess. That doesn't hurt. Hurts me, but it doesn't hurt the fans.
Q: Last season was more of a traditional season for you in terms of scoring — was it hard to adjust coming off your great first year in Colorado?
A: (Laughs) Yeah, you know, they got spoiled the first year in Colorado! You know what, I'd love to score 20 goals — it's a lot more fun than getting into 17 fights, I'll tell you that right now. But again, if that's what they need me to do, I'll do it. You know, I'm at the age right now, I don't need to prove that I belong in this league. I know I do belong in this league — I just want to prove to my team that I'll do whatever it takes to win. Whatever they ask me to do, I'll do.
Q: Was it hard to stay positive with everyone asking questions about scoring?
A: Yeah, it was hard, especially when I had so many chances at the beginning of the year and I couldn't hit my 100th goal. It was driving me nuts and I'm not used to dealing with that kind of pressure because I don't score goals. Everyday people were asking me that. And when I did finally score it was kind of a relief that people would stop asking me about that. But again, I put that on myself, I guess (laughs) - I scored 21 goals that year before!
Q: It must have been frustrating when you almost got that 100th goal out of the way early in the season, but it didn't work out.
A: I did, against Vancouver. It was right at game 5 or game 4 — very early — that's karma. I was so happy. The bad karma took me another 15 games before I scored the next one. Oh well, it's in the past now. We don't think about it.
Q: Most fans know the typical gameday routine for players — what do you do on off-days after practice?
A: With kids now, it's different. Then, I used to take a nap and stuff like that. Now, it's more like I want to spend as much time as I can with the boys. It's tough sometimes. I'm dead tired and Zachary will want to play hockey, Tristan wants to do this and that. But the older they get now, they are playing with each other and I just need to be around and help them out.
Q: What is the hardest part of the game for you?
A: Now, being away from my boys is the hardest part now I think. You know when I was younger there were guys with kids and that's what they said and you don't realize it until you do have children. I think that's the hardest part for sure.
Q: What is one personal trait of yours that you would like to instill in your sons?
A: Just try to enjoy life, I guess. I've got that spirit everyday — I'm happy to wake up and just go do what I love and hopefully my kids will be able to find something that they love. It doesn't mean sportwise, but whatever they do, I hope they find something that they love.
Q: You have somewhat of a reputation for being a prankster in the locker room...but who has played the biggest pranks on you?
A: They know better. They don't come after me — (laughs) — because I'm coming ten times worse. No, when you're younger they go after you, but the older you get, they leave you alone, I guess.
Q: For Avalanche Alert last season, did you volunteer to collect trash or did they ask you to do it?
A: They asked me. That was cool. I like to do different stuff. You know, people see what we do on the ice, but just to do that — it's a lot of work. I only did one block and I was tired. Those people, I'm telling you, they do 500 houses a day or something like that. But it was fun.
Q: Anything you miss about LA...besides us and Heather? :D
A: (Laughs) You know what? I had a great time there. The people there took care of me. You know what, that's where I grew up — I was a 22 year old kid and I left at 30. I had a great time there. I miss the beach — I loved living there — I don't miss the price of everything around it. But, like in Colorado, I think it's great for where I'm at in my life with my kids to raise my family. It's a great place to do so. LA - I'm not so sure about raising two beach kids, you know, beach boys? I'm sure it's a great place, but I think Colorado is better for us right now.