2018 memories shared by NHL.com writers
Visit to China, world's longest game, farewell to Sedins among highlights
© Getty Images
By
NHL.com @NHLdotcom
There were historic moments known to most any hockey fan: The Washington Capitals winning the Stanley Cup for the first time; the Vegas Golden Knights taking the hockey world by storm and marching to the Final in their first season; the induction of NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Willie O'Ree to the Hockey Hall of Fame; the trade of Erik Karlsson from the Ottawa Senators to the San Jose Sharks and the signing of free agent center John Tavares by his hometown team, the Toronto Maple Leafs.
But memories are about more than the communal ones shared by all. They are also about the individual ones, created and shared during each person's journey through the year.
To celebrate 2018 and prepare for 2019, several NHL.com writers and editors came up with their favorite individual memory from the year. The answers were often deeply personal and ran the gamut of moments big and small:
The day was glorious: cloudless blue sky, not too steamy. We had spent the past hour-plus doing something I truly never expected to do in my life, winding our way around the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China and marveling at the history, the construction, the sheer fact of being here.
There, at the end of our journey, was a little cafe selling snacks and Tsingtao beer. Most of the Boston Bruins contingent filled the place, resting, chatting, before we would all slide down to the base of the Great Wall on toboggans.
We had been in China for five September days, there for the 2018 O.R.G. NHL China Games, but we had just gotten to Beijing late the previous evening. The game-to-flight-to-bus-to-hotel-to-very-little-sleep itinerary should have crushed those still besieged by jet lag, but it didn't; everyone was in good spirits, able to enjoy a moment that few get.
Still, there was business that needed transacting: I had to steal a few minutes with forward Brad Marchand to work on his player diary for NHL.com. So after the rest of the players headed out, we hung back, grabbed a table, and talked about his love of history, his desire to see the wonders of the world, his grasp of the fact that a career and a hockey life are fleeting.
It was one of the more relaxed and enjoyable conversations I've had with a hockey player, in one of the most incredible settings I'll ever see.
That, to me, was the China Games: Hockey and hockey players out of their element, out of their ordinary, all of us allowed a glimpse into another world. -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer
Go behind-the-scenes with NHL China Games All Access
The most powerful hockey moment of my 2018 was a tough call. Most years, how Winnipeg unleashed its playoff passion for its Jets would have topped the list.
It was a worthy six weeks, something to behold.
But something even more powerful happened in February.
While writing a feature story, I met Jannes Freerksen in the middle of a cold winter night in Strathcona County, just east of the Edmonton suburb of Sherwood Park.
It was there that I started to understand another passion: people caring about people.
So much so that 40 of them played hockey outdoors for 251 hours, 9 minutes consecutively to set the Guinness World Record for the world's longest hockey game.
It was beyond sacrifice. A remarkable human investment in a cause, given what a frigid Alberta winter can do to the body. The sixth edition of this game, started in 2003, raised more than $1.235 million for the Alberta Cancer Foundation and Cross Cancer Institute.
Freerksen, one of the game's goalies, was in the middle of a five-hour overnight shift when he started chatting with me, him in his goal crease and me leaning over the boards while the game played on at Saiker's Acres in the middle of the night.
After his shift was over, Freerksen showed me a care package of food, goodies and warm socks brought to the clubhouse by his son, Noah, 11, on behalf of his peewee hockey team.
The top of the box had a message.
It said: "Dear Jannes: The attitude you have as a coach/parent is what our kids will learn from more than what we tell them. They will remember who you are for the amazing example that you are setting … showing us all how hockey helps our community! (Love) the Jets."
Powerful. -- Tim Campbell, staff writer
The puck went in. Rogers Arena roared. And I had to look at the replay to make sure.
Did that happen?
Did Daniel Sedin really score in overtime? Off a pass by twin brother Henrik? In their last game on home ice for the Vancouver Canucks?
Wow.
"You couldn't dream of a better ending in this building, the last time we stepped on the ice," Daniel said.
The Sedins were more than great players. They were great people, two of the classiest I have had the pleasure to cover. So I was thrilled when they reluctantly let everyone know they were about to retire and I was able to scramble my way to Vancouver for their home finale April 5.
I knew it would be a great story no matter what -- fans in Sedin jerseys, homemade signs, video tributes, chants, ovations. But being a writer, I was hoping for a moment, a lasting image of their last home game.
I thought it came in the second period, when Daniel scored and Henrik assisted. The goal was Daniel's 22nd of the season, matching his jersey number. The time was 33 seconds, matching Henrik's.
But in overtime, Henrik sent a saucer pass from the right-wing corner to the point. At the end of a 76-second shift, Daniel settled the puck on his blade and took a slap shot.
And I'll never forget it.
"It's just once in a lifetime," Henrik said. "You can't describe the feelings." -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist
The moment I'll remember most from 2018 was being in Moscow's Red Square on July 8 when Alex Ovechkin surprised tourists by making an unannounced visit with the Stanley Cup.
As captain of the Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals, Ovechkin had two days with the Cup in his hometown. He spent most of the second day at private events with family and friends but went to Red Square in the afternoon to have his photo taken raising the Cup with historic St. Basil's Cathedral in the background.
Some onlookers did a double take when they saw Ovechkin walking toward the square carrying the Cup. He soon had a flock of followers running alongside and around him while trying to take photos with their smartphones.
I did my best to keep up while taking my own photos and video without tripping on the granite paving stones or getting trampled by tourists.
Although many tried to push closer to Ovechkin and the Cup, they never attempted to get close enough to touch him or the trophy.
When Ovechkin stopped in front of St. Basil's to have his photo taken, the crowd respectfully stepped back to create an open path for Ovechkin and the small group of photographers and media accompanying him. After about two minutes, Ovechkin headed back out of the square to the police cruiser that was waiting to whisk him and the Cup away.
The whole chaotic visit lasted about 15 minutes but created a lifetime memory for Ovechkin and hundreds of onlookers, myself included. -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer
There are two moments that stand out for me. Each occurred during my visit to Bern, Switzerland, covering the New Jersey Devils during the 2018 NHL Global Series in October.
The first was my visit with the parents of center Nico Hischier, Rino and Katja, at their home in Naters, Switzerland, to gain a little insight into what their son, the No. 1 pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, was like in the early stages of his hockey career.
The Hischiers were so gracious and we sat at the kitchen table, traded stories about family and expectations of our children, and discussed Nico for almost an hour. I later wrote a piece for NHL.com about the experience and what life was like for Nico before he left his country to play for Halifax of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in 2016-17.
The other moment also involved Hischier and the fan reaction to his first appearance at PostFinance Arena in Bern since he played for the club in 2015-16. It was an amazing scene inside the arena; the fans were so energetic and excited. Hischier was given a standing ovation during lineup announcements after the arena public address announcer said "Center, 13, Nico ... " and most of the 17,031 in attendance responded "Hischier."
Hischier played for SC Bern for three seasons, including 15 games in 2015-16.
"I think North American players aren't really used to this where players are introduced like that but it's like this, and it was a great welcome," Hischier said. "I got goose bumps everywhere." -- Mike G. Morreale, staff writer
There weren't a whole lot of memorable moments for the Chicago Blackhawks near the end of last season. Goalie Corey Crawford had been out since late December with concussion symptoms and the Blackhawks were set to miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in 10 seasons.
And then, on March 29, a beacon of joy emerged in the form of Chicago accountant Scott Foster.
Seeing the 36-year-old Foster come in as the emergency goaltender for the final 14 minutes of the Blackhawks' 6-2 win against the Winnipeg Jets was the highlight of the season.
Foster was summoned after Colin Delia sustained an injury with 14:01 remaining in the third period. Anton Forsberg had been injured prior to the game. Foster saved all seven shots he faced that night, with the United Center crowd cheering louder for each one.
The reactions were priceless. Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville smiled and laughed as Foster came onto the ice. Defenseman Brent Seabrook, who played in his 1,000th NHL game that night, ceded the spotlight to Foster in the postgame media availability. What a two-day whirlwind for Foster, who the previous night had played in a beer league game at Johnny's IceHouse West, about a mile away from United Center.
Foster's moment in the NHL spotlight didn't change the fortunes of the Blackhawks' season. But amid all the disappointments, it was a fun and entertaining bright spot. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer
In a span of three months, I talked hockey with TV's 'Wonder Woman" Lynda Carter, legendary comedian Rich Little and the United States gold-medal winning Olympic curling team. And while those celebrity encounters were incredible, almost surreal, watching real heroes play the game they love is something I'll never forget.
While most of the hockey media attending the 2018 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series game was focused on the wind causing havoc at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland, on March 2, colleague Shawn P. Roarke and I headed to a rink in Bowie, Maryland. On the ice that day, the NHL Sled Series game was being played by Soldier On, which was founded in 2006 to help former members of the Canadian Armed Forces with illness or injury continue to be active, and the USA Warriors ice hockey program.
I went in expecting a fun game, and it was that, but the passion and intensity displayed by the athletes caught me off guard. These wounded veterans weren't just happy to be playing the game they loved, they wanted to win, and wanted it badly.
Using one end of their stick to push themselves and up and down the ice, and the other end to pass and shoot the puck, their strength, athleticism and pure desire was on full display.
So was their talent. There was hitting, great passes, fierce shots and incredible saves by the goalies.
It was inspiring to watch the men and women who had been injured serving their countries going all out on the rink, proudly wearing their colors on their respective jerseys.
After the USA Warriors had won 8-5, players and coaches from each team gathered at center ice and marveled at the site of the Stanley Cup. They were honored to be in the presence of the Cup, and I was honored to be in their presence. -- Bill Price, Editor-in-Chief
My 2018 started with the highest of bars. I never bested it, despite several honest -- and memorable -- efforts.
Usually, my entry on any year-end list involves some magical hockey moment witnessed from a press box somewhere in North America, or occasionally Europe.
Not this year.
The absolute highlight for me came sitting in sub-freezing temperatures in the 500 level of Citi Field, watching the New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres play in the 2018 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic on Jan.1. The Rangers won the game, although I would be hard-pressed today to tell you exactly how.
What I do remember is watching the sense of wonderment through the eyes of my son, Alex, 13. I have been blessed to cover every Winter Classic except for the first one in Buffalo (I was celebrating Alex's first birthday), as well as several other outdoor games. Alex has been to four Winter Classics and three other outdoor games (not bad for a teenager). Yet we had never been together to the NHL's signature game. I had never watched more than a few minutes of any of them as a fan, stealing a minute here or there during a hectic day to remember why I love what I do for a living.
Sitting high up on the third-base side as I lost feeling in my fingers and toes, I was reminded of how special these games are for those new to the spectacle, those who still see the game unfolding before them as fodder for dreams. It was an afternoon of family bonding over a shared love of hockey and I couldn't stop smiling throughout the game, or during the long, defrosting ride home.
It was a perfect reminder of why I love my job and the responsibility that goes along with it. The highpoint of a 2018 full of unforgettable memories. -- Shawn P. Roarke, Senior Director of Editorial
I've covered 18 NHL outdoor games, starting with the 2008 Winter Classic in the Buffalo blizzard, an event that will never be topped. But the 2018 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series game at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on March 3 was close.
Being on Navy's campus was special and moving. We were there for the game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Washington Capitals, but my highlight the day before the game was meeting Craig Massman, Jon Smith and Michael Burke, all first class midshipmen.
They got the scoop that the Maple Leafs were practicing at McMullen Hockey Arena, and there was no way the players for Navy's Division 2 club team were missing it.
They were there in their Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniforms. They called me "Sir." They thanked me for talking to them. Like, what? No, boys, thank you. It was an honor to meet them.
Gameday was spectacular.
I held the Olympic gold medal that belongs to Matt Hamilton, a member of the U.S. men's curling team, which was part of the show. I watched in awe as the 200 or so midshipmen marched in uniform along the edges of the model aircraft carrier that outlined the rink, as if they were manning the rails of a real ship. The Navy hockey players unfurling the U.S. and Canadian flags, the anthems and the Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet roaring over the stadium, all amazing.
The game didn't disappoint, with Alex Ovechkin scoring his 40th goal of the season in a 5-2 Washington win.
Incredible.-- Dan Rosen, senior writer
I'll forever remember attending and reporting on the New York Rangers' retirement of the jerseys of Jean Ratelle in February and Vic Hadfield in December, and a September visit to spend a couple of days with my friend Glenn Hall on his farm in Stony Plain, Alberta. But my most memorable moment of 2018 was, in fact, almost three months of research and writing a 15-part series on the retirement of the top band of the Stanley Cup.
Champions from 1953-54 to 1964-65 were removed in September to begin a fresh bottom band with the 2017-18 Washington Capitals. The series featured a story on each of the 12 Cup champions on the outgoing top band, along with an introduction, a personal essay and the thoughts of the four living Hall of Famers -- Hall, Ted Lindsay, Alex Delvecchio and Bobby Hull -- whose names were forever coming off the trophy. (All were fine with it.)
I relished digging into archives more than a half-century old to find news, statistics and little-known nuggets, but the highlight by far was unearthing the historic photography that illustrated each instalment. More than a few of the images I chose had been taped on my boyhood bedroom wall. Seeing them again literally took my breath away.
The goal was to celebrate 12 great Cup champions; I simply had no idea the emotional impact that this project, the most exhaustive and exhausting of my 42-year writing career, would have on me as I worked all summer to produce it. -- Dave Stubbs, columnist
My top hockey moment of 2018 didn't come in the form of a goal, a save or a check.
It was a hug. One I'll never forget.
On Nov. 16 I headed down to London to meet a very special little girl named Hayden Foulon. It was Hockey Fights Cancer Month, and I wanted to find out her story and share it with the world.
I'd discovered that Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitchell Marner, then a forward for London of the Ontario Hockey League, first met Hayden while touring Children's Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre in 2015. Hayden was 2 1/2 at the time. She had acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Their friendship has grown since then; a tour of the Foulon home showed me how much. Marner's jersey hangs above her bed. The family dog is named Mitch. Marner has been awesome in supporting Hayden. He's only 21 but he's mature beyond his years.
Hayden was declared cancer-free in March. Doctors found it had returned in July.
And still, she smiles.
When I was leaving, she gave me a big hug. I welled up. She is one of the bravest people I know.
It's been a tough year. I lost my father, Herbert, in February. It hurt. Hayden's hug gave me perspective. He lived to be 91. A full life. She is 6. She deserves one too.
My story appeared Nov. 23. Shortly afterward, Hayden's oxygen levels became inconsistent. Back to the hospital she went.
On Dec. 14, she was released with the hopes she'll be home with her family and puppy for Christmas.
Get well soon Hayden. I'm a better person for knowing you. Love you. Thanks for being my friend. -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer
Video: Relive some of the top highlight reel moments of 2018
