Halpern: 'Every game felt like an event'

MONTREAL - Jeff Halpern was already a 10-year NHL veteran when he arrived for his first tour of duty with the Canadiens, but he still felt jittery ahead of his Bell Sports Complex debut.

It was September 2010, and the talented centerman was on the South Shore for a workout just ahead of training camp - and the rink was packed with people trying to catch of glimpse of their favorite Habs.
Halpern hadn't seen anything quite like it during his previous stops in Washington, Dallas, Tampa Bay, and Los Angeles and the scene caught him a bit by surprise.
"I think there were about 1,000 people watching. I was so nervous going out for the shinny skate," recalled the now-41-year-old Halpern, who hung up his skates following the 2013-14 campaign with 976 games of NHL experience under his belt. "For someone like myself, who grew up in DC and wasn't in a hockey environment, it's like going to fantasy camp. You're in a hockey dream world."

That, according to Halpern, easily made Montreal his favorite NHL home.
"There's a certain electricity, not just in the building, but in the city. You can kind of feel the day of the game that there's a game that night. I always thought it was the easiest place to play because of that, because every game felt like an event," explained Halpern, who suited up for 88 regular-season games in a Canadiens uniform, including 72 during the 2010-11 campaign and another 16 after being claimed off waivers from the New York Rangers in 2012-13. "You felt like you were playing with the city. It was such an amazing connection with the people you met around town. For me, it was a special place."
The city's unmatched love of the game - and the team - only fueled Halpern's hunger to do everything possible to help the Canadiens enjoy a successful playoff run. Unfortunately, things didn't pan out that way as Halpern never made it beyond the opening round in Montreal.
He still vividly recalls the heartbreaking loss to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins in April 2011 that wrapped up in a decisive seventh game at TD Garden. Nathan Horton settled the score in OT, and Halpern had a front-row seat to watch it all unfold.
"I got caught in between going down on a knee and kind of laying down to block the shot. It hit my skate and went in on Carey. Obviously, I would have liked to block that shot. You wanted to be on the ice for the positive side of history," said Halpern, on Horton's series-clinching tally. "That series, more so than any other I played in, you relive certain moments. I don't know if we would have won the Cup that year, but especially that series, I know it would have meant a lot. We had a really good group of guys."

These days, Halpern, his wife, Kelly, and their four children call Syracuse, NY home. The former pivot is in his second season as an assistant coach with the AHL's Syracuse Crunch.
"I love it. It's not the same as playing, though. It's actually even less time with the family than when you're playing. You don't realize that until you start doing it yourself. But it really is like being in the best lab for scientists. It's the best environment for someone who enjoys coaching and teaching. It's been a great second job for me," mentioned Halpern, who works alongside bench boss, Benoit Groulx. "When you work with a player and see something translate into a game, it's a great feeling. That's the best part."
Halpern's job affords him the opportunity to return to his former hockey home a few times a year for matchups against the Laval Rocket at Place Bell, a building that has quickly become one of his favorites on the AHL circuit.
"It's so similar to the Bell Centre," said Halpern, who makes a point of connecting with former teammate, Mathieu Darche, whenever the Crunch are in town. "It still has the feel of coming to Montreal and coming into that environment. As much as I liked those St. John's trips, I think it's so great that the Canadiens are able to put their AHL affiliate so close by."

While Halpern continues to work with some of the top prospects in the Tampa Bay Lightning organization full-time, his childhood friend and business partner, Elliot Spaisman runs the day-to-day operations of their restaurant chain, Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken, which currently boasts locations in Washington, DC, Falls Church, VA and Los Angeles.