Through all the heroism, skill, and celebrity-status of modern day NHLers, it's hard to remember that they're human. They play through a grueling schedule of games, take unimaginable physical beatings, and have to remain professional in front of media and fans. Sometimes it's easy to just view these individuals as robot-like creatures, having no other purpose but to go onto stage to perform a show for you almost every night. But sometimes we receive harsh reminders that they go through the same struggles and emotional battles that we do.
Last season, when Martin St. Louis' mother passed away in the middle of the playoffs, we saw a New York Rangers team turn a sad situation into a rallying cry and St. Louis himself tallied 7 points in 9 games after her passing to lead the Rangers to the Stanley Cup Final.
But that isn't human. Most people don't go straight from the funeral of a parent into the heat of battle in the NHL playoffs.
As hockey fans, we were spoiled. I understand that the majority of players tend to try to get right back on the ice after the loss of a loved one. But as we found out this year, for Martin St. Louis to strive under such strenuous circumstances must have taken some of that super-human capabilities we referred to earlier.
As Boston Bruins forward Simon Gagne noted earlier this month, "To play in the NHL, you have to be 100% mentally, emotionally, and physically committed to the game." Gagne's father passed away on January 12th. "At this time, I know that I cannot be close to those levels."
Last season, when Martin St. Louis' mother passed away in the middle of the playoffs, we saw a New York Rangers team turn a sad situation into a rallying cry and St. Louis himself tallied 7 points in 9 games after her passing to lead the Rangers to the Stanley Cup Final.
But that isn't human. Most people don't go straight from the funeral of a parent into the heat of battle in the NHL playoffs.
As hockey fans, we were spoiled. I understand that the majority of players tend to try to get right back on the ice after the loss of a loved one. But as we found out this year, for Martin St. Louis to strive under such strenuous circumstances must have taken some of that super-human capabilities we referred to earlier.
As Boston Bruins forward Simon Gagne noted earlier this month, "To play in the NHL, you have to be 100% mentally, emotionally, and physically committed to the game." Gagne's father passed away on January 12th. "At this time, I know that I cannot be close to those levels."