"I learned after the game. I had no idea. Obviously sent him a text, and there's obviously no words, but it just stinks to see a guy like that have to go through what he's about to. I think the whole hockey world is going to be behind him to support him. He's always been a battler, a fighter and, ine some way, he's the perfect guy to battle this.
I still feel so bad for his family, all his friends, and also the hockey world too because he's so big of a presence, It just stinks to hear a guy like that has to go through something like this.
The two years that I had with him were more about life, and hockey was not second but probably 1B. We just had so many conversations about being happy, loving what you do, coming to the rink with a good attitude and bringing each other along. I think the lessons were more about being a team than it was me, and it took two years for me to put in perspective he was a teacher for me, a mental coach. He just does it all and wants everybody to be in the best moods and in their best mindset to perform their best, He has just had that effect on people to bring out the best in them.
He still texts me every time I score, every time something cool happens. We talk a lot, but it's mostly not even about hockey. It's petty cool to have a guy like that on your side. He's been someone I've leaned on, and that's been pretty cool."
