The veteran center reflects on his two-year extension, crediting Rod Brind'Amour’s system and a locker room culture that embraced his versatile skillset.
The Carolina Hurricanes signed center Mark Jankowski to a two-year extension earlier this week.
The journeyman 4C has been a god fit with the Canes so far across one and a half seasons, providing depth and versatility to the lineup.
He spoke with the media on Monday about his extension. Here's what he had to say:
Mark Jankowski
On extending: Super excited. Ever since I've been here, I've felt like it's been a seamless fit. I wanted to stay here and we had been talking, me and my agent and the team, have been talking for a little bit of time. For it to get wrapped up here in the middle of the playoffs was nice to get it done. Super excited to be here for a couple more years.
On what's made Carolina such a good fit for him: A little bit of everything, for sure. Coming in, getting traded midseason last year and then talking with the coaching staff and the players and everything, I just felt like right away, they made it easy for me to fit in. I feel like my game gels well with how Rod and the coaches want to play and how the rest of the team plays. We play such a great system and everyone plays the same way, playing hard, and it's a fun team to be a part of. I think just being able to add my skillset to that team, I think it's just been a real great fit.
On the timing: We had been talking for a little bit throughout the end of the season and into the playoffs a little bit. I think both sides just wanted to get it done. I thought it was a good fit and they think so as well. So we just wanted to get something done here and I'm glad we were able to come to terms. I think both sides are happy. Obviously I'm super excited to be sticking around for another couple years and hopefully another long playoff push this year as well.
On his called back goals: The big thing is that we're winning these games. Obviously it would feel a lot worse if I score, they take it back and then we ended up losing. Both of those games I scored in we ended up winning, so that took away a lot of the hurt, for sure, but you just have to keep doing the same things. You're getting the chances. Those goals will come if you keep playing the right way and we are. So you don't want to take your foot off the gas. The fact that you're getting those chances and getting those looks are good things. Just have to keep doing the same thing and hopefully the next one counts.
On which opponent he'd like to see in the ECF: I think it doesn't really matter to us. The way we play, we have so much faith in our system that we can go up against anybody. Obviously we're watching the other series to see who we'll play and I'm a hockey fan as well. I love watching playoff hockey, so it's been a good series over there. So we're just gonna focus on ourselves and get back to practice and get back to work. Whoever we play, we'll be ready for.
On if there's anything different about the Hurricanes that makes him such a good fit as opposed to other teams he's been on: Ever since that trade and coming in, I just felt like it was seamless right away. Right from my first day talking to all the guys, everyone was so welcoming and talking to the coaching staff and Rod, it just made me feel welcome right away, which made that transition so easy. I was pretty nervous. It was the first time I had been traded. I've been on different teams, but that was all in the summer and going through training camps and all that stuff, so it was the first time changing teams midseason. So I was pretty nervous and so being able to get in there right away and have those conversations with the coaching staff and the team and all that and the leadership group and all that made that transition so much easier. I think anyone that comes in here and has the right attitude, you'll definitely be able to have success here because everyone just makes it a great spot to be. It's awesome to come to the rink everyday.
On what effect his hot start when coming to Carolina had on him: It definitely was obviously a great start. Getting a couple in that first game right away also took away some nerves for sure too. Just felt, like I said, a seamless transition being able to produce and also just show my whole complete game. I pride myself on being a 200-foot guy, someone that you can rely on in the D-zone and the O-zone as well and have a scoring touch too. So just being able to show off a little bit of all my game in that first little sample size.
On if this deal feels like more security for him: It definitely feels nice, it definitely feels like all my hard work has been rewarded a little bit, but you definitely don't want to get complacent. That's something that I've been through a lot. I've seen a lot and been through a lot of different organizations. I've been up, I've been down and I think that's something that I can always carry with me: never getting complacent. Just have to keep pushing forward, keep working, keep your foot on the gas. It definitely feels nice to get that deal and feel like you've been rewarded a little bit, but not taking anything for granted and not getting complacent, that's for sure.
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