ESPN NHL

There was a time when Keith Primeau would have taken a demotion to the third line as a slap in the face, gone off and sulked and perhaps even held out to force a trade.

But an older, wiser Primeau has embraced his role on Philadelphia's checking line with wingers Donald Brashear and Sami Kapanen and set an example for the rest of his team's forwards. Primeau, 31, understands he'll make just as important of a contribution shutting down opponents as he would if he were still being counted on to score 30 goals.

"More than anything, I'm really excited about the opportunity to face other team's top lines," Primeau told the Bucks County Courier Times. "Our line feels real comfortable with each other. There's no transition this year. We're just jumping into it."

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