It's really unfortunate for him, as a kid you hate to see that, it was an awkward type thing. He's out six weeks.

He's a big part of our future and we think he has a chance to make an impact on our team as early as this season.

He has played with the game's best players in Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr and has also excelled in a more defensive-minded role, so he has proven himself in all situations. He will be a great complement to our group of forwards.

He earned a spot on our roster and will be a tremendous complement to the young talent in our organization.

I posed it to him as a challenge. He was successful in Colorado helping them win a championship. Now it is another phase of his career to help us get there.

I would like to believe it was an unbelievable recruiting job, but I don't think that was the case. We came in under the radar as we like to do.

I've got a funny feeling that if Detroit could spend $80 million this year and the Rangers could spend $80 million and Colorado could spend $80 million, I probably wouldn't have him [Foote] here today.

He's as tough as they come. All I know he may be the best conditioned athlete in the league, and that's a pretty good start. There's not a team in the NHL that wouldn't like to have Adam Foote, I can tell you that.

You have to, that was a conversation between Mike and I, that we had to make the money work for both. You still have to try and get what fits your team but you have to make the money work on both sides.