Hejduk Still Comfortable At Home Rink

Just like he did as a player, Milan Hejduk found a comfort level on the ice at Pepsi Center.
However, this time it wasn't scoring goals or feeding the puck to a linemate for a key assist or celebrating a Colorado Avalanche win. No, this time it was recognizing and thanking those teammates, coaches, staff members and friends for a career he couldn't have imagined as a young kid growing up in then Czechoslovakia.

There have been plenty of highlights in Hejduk's hockey career, and one was certainly on Saturday when his jersey was retired by the Avs at Pepsi Center.
"It is very hard to put into words to be recognized by the Colorado Avalanche this way," said Hejduk, just minutes after watching his No. 23 be raised to the rafters by the only club he ever played for at the top tier of the sport.
A sell-out crowd of 18,046 were in attendance to witness, celebrate and thank Hejduk for his 14 years of contribution to the team. Several times throughout the ceremony prior to the Avalanche's game against the Minnesota Wild, chants of "Duke" rang from the stands, the same ones that were common when Hejduk was on that very ice as a player.

The ceremony was nearly 40 minutes long, and the former right wing had plenty of people to thank. From his mom and dad, who were in attendance after making the long trip from the Czech Republic; to former coaches Bob Hartley, Tony Granato and Joel Quenneville; training staff members past and present, including long-time friend and head equipment manager Mark Miller; and all of his teammates and linemates that helped him produce 805 points (375 goals and 430 assists) in his 1,020-game career.
"When I was standing there, I was in the moment. I really enjoyed every second of it," Hejduk said of the ceremony.

No player has produced more at Pepsi Center than Hejduk, who recorded 188 goals and 199 assists at the Avs' home rink. It was on that ice that he helped the franchise to its second Stanley Cup in 2001, which he said was "definitely the proudest moment of my hockey career, and one I'll cherish forever."
It was also a night of surprises for Hejduk and the capacity crowd.
One of them came during former teammate and current Avalanche executive vice president/general manager Joe Sakic's speech when talking about some of the league hardware he won: the 2002-03 Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy and that Stanley Cup.

The "Rocket" Richard Trophy was present on stage, but the other accolade was missing.
"There are a couple really big moments that stand out for Milan," Sakic said in his speech. "First, team award, obviously winning the Stanley Cup in 2001. What a huge accomplishment and a thrill of a lifetime. And second, they always say scoring goals in hockey, it's the toughest thing to do, and in 2002-2003 there was no one better than Milan that year. [He] scored 50 goals and won the "Rocket" Richard Trophy. Right now, I think it is only fitting that the Stanley Cup should be here and your two linemates from that season bring it out. "
That was when Hejduk's center and left wing from that memorable 2000-01 campaign, Peter Forsberg and Alex Tanguay, emerged from one of the tunnels to the ice, carrying none other than the silver chalice itself.
The building erupted as the Stanley Cup returned to center ice, the same place it was raised on that June 9, 2001 evening, and Hejduk himself appeared to be somewhat in disbelief.

The last surprise came when it was time finally raise No. 23.
Life after playing has brought Hejduk into the world of coaching, and he's helped manage and teach the game to future generations in the Denver metro area. He is currently a coach for the Colorado Thunderbirds under-13 team, and it was that club, led by his twin sons Marek and David, that brought the No. 23 banner out to the ice.
"[The Avs] kind of kept me out of the loop on some things, and these two things were definitely them," Hejduk said of the surprises. "I didn't know Peter and Alex would be there, and the boys that I coached, that they would be carrying the banner. It was really, really special. Really neat for me."

It was a truly memorable night for Hejduk, and it was well deserved, especially given all the same unforgettable memories he delivered to countless of teammates, coaches and fans over the years.
"It was really awesome. It was really something that I'll remember forever," Hejduk said. "It was really well done by the Avs. I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed everything out of it. It was great. It was awesome. It will be fun to come back to the building and see my jersey up there. It's great."
As Hejduk, his sons and wife Zlatuse watched the banner get hoisted up to the rafters and join the other five already there, it appeared to fit in perfectly. Hejduk's No. 23 slides next to two other forwards, Sakic's No. 19 and Forsberg's No. 21; two defensemen, Adam Foote's No. 52 and Ray Bourque's No. 77; and goaltender Patrick Roy's No. 33.
That's a heck of a lineup.