The trip almost didn’t happen.
A massive storm hit the Twin Cities, cancelling flight after flight over the weekend, but Jordan Leopold wasn’t going to miss out on an opportunity to come back to Alberta.
So Leopold and his family piled into his father’s RV and revved up the motor, detouring through Manitoba on account of that nasty storm.
For the former Flames defenceman - and member of that 2004 Western Conference championship squad - it’s a bit of a homecoming. Leopold took his first NHL strides here, started his family here, and for the Minnesotan, just walking back into the Scotiabank Saddledome for the first time in over a decade took him back to those days as a Flame.
“Just when I walk through the back door, where we used to park as players. Got set up to park back there, (I) walked through and went, holy cow,” Leopold recalled. “I mean, it brings back absolute memories. It doesn't look any different, the bowels are still almost the same.”
Leopold, his wife Jamie and their kids made it a priority to come back this winter. Even if it meant logging a lot more kilometres on the Trans-Canada than they originally anticipated.
“We know the Saddledome’s gonna be disappearing here after next year, and wanted to bring the kids up to reminisce and see one game,” he explained. “My two oldest daughters are now 21 and 19, spent some time here with me when I played.
“So they've always wanted to come back and go to Banff, go to Lake Louise, come to Calgary, see what it's like. Man, has the town changed a lot, and it's growing quite a bit.”
But what hasn’t changed, is Leopold’s affinity for the old ‘Dome. Not to mention his relationship with those teammates with whom he experienced that unbelievable run in ’04, during which he led all NHL blueliners in playoff assists.
And while Leopold is still connected to the game by coaching his son’s team at Andover High, he doesn’t spend a ton of time around the NHL game any longer.
“I went out and had a couple Daddy pops with Robyn Regehr last night, and we were talking about how hockey has shaped us and how there's more more to life than hockey,” Leopold said. "For Robyn and I, I mean, we played together here, we were partners, we played together in Buffalo as well. Anytime we were outside the rink, we weren't talking about hockey.
“We just love playing, you know, and our bodies can't do it anymore. But to be able to come back and watch, like, pre-game skate, for instance, watching this with my 17 year old son, I'm like, ‘Watch how many times they stick handle.’ They don't ever stick handle (without purpose). Just little things, 'cause I tell these high school kids that are anywhere from 15 to 17 back at home in Minnesota. ‘You know, this is what I'm trying to get you guys to. I know you may not make it there, but just watch how detailed it is.’
“And it's completely different than even what it was when I was a player. It's just fascinating to see how much skill these guys have.”
It’s a total coincidence that Leopold and his family will take in a contest between two of his former clubs. The now 45-year-old played 775 NHL regular season and playoff games with eight clubs, spending two stints in Calgary at the start of his career before parts of three seasons with the Blues between 2012-13 and 2014-15.
Since retirement, though, Leopold has poured all his energy into the family business. Leopold’s Mississippi Gardens is a massive wedding and event space just minutes from downtown Minneapolis, a project the whole family has had their hands in since opening the doors in 2015.
“My beautiful bride when I ended up stealing her out of Minnesota, I made her move to Calgary, Alberta. She was in the hospitality industry working and was hosting events and wanted to do it at a different scale,” Leopold explained. “I kind of told her, ‘Hey, you're moving, you're giving that up. If it ends up being a great thing for me, you can own your own place.’
“So, we ended up erecting an 11,000 square foot facility, which is pretty darn big. Just recently, we ended up kind of shifting the way the businesses run where we're more landlords than business operators and now, since we aren't operating in business, we get to do stuff like this, where we can come into town on a whim, and just take a nice vacation and reminisce at some old stops.”
And reminisce they will. In addition to taking in tonight’s game, the Leopolds will spend some time in the Rockies as part of their week-long journey.
And yes, they found a spot to park the RV while they’re out exploring their old hockey home.
Even if the skyline has changed a little since they were last here.
“It’s kinda home sweet home, to tell you the truth,” Leopold said of the city. “We started our family while we lived here.
“A lot of good memories.”
