Happy trails, Bam Bam

This isn't the kind of thing you ever want to see a hockey player have to live with.

 

When the news came out that Blake Geoffrion would have to retire from pro hockey following his skull fracture earlier this season, I didn't know how to react. I may not know him, and he may not have been part of the Canadiens organization for very long, but his announcement hurt. I don't know what it's like to be in his situation: I've never had an injury that serious, and I've never been able to see a lifelong dream come true or accomplish a goal as big as his: playing in the NHL, the Geoffrion equivalent of a family business.

I was excited to see him traded to Montreal. I wrote about it, recalling how it felt like things had come full circle: my grandfather watched his grandfather play for the Habs, and now I would get to watch Blake. And I did. I had tickets to his first-ever game at the Bell Centre, with the Hamilton Bulldogs. Czechtacular and I sat in the first row, underneath his grandfather's retired jersey and chose his new nickname: "Bam Bam." We cheered until we lost our breath and banged our hands on the glass so much that they hurt. (I woke up the next morning and my palms still hurt.)

Our next Bulldogs game would not be so fun. We were excited to see him, and the whole team. I remember bringing a friend to the game and telling her about him, because she didn't know that he was a fourth-generation NHL player. And later that evening, the injury happened. It was so fast that I didn't even notice at first who it was. The video footage of it looks much scarier than it did in person. Turns out the video footage was right, and it was a career-ending injury. I hoped I'd never have to see one, but there I was, in the house for a player's last game ever.

We didn't take a lot of pictures at that game. This was one of the only ones #57 is in.

The recovery process was really hard for Geoffrion. It sounds as though the decision to retire was easier for him than I expected it to be - which is good, because it was the right decision to make.


I wrote my first draft of this post months ago, when the news first broke that Geoffrion was planning on retiring. I ended it by hoping he'd find a career path that he enjoyed, and that maybe hockey fans would get to see him again. Now that I know he's accepted a scouting job with the Blue Jackets, that hope has been fulfilled. A lifetime in hockey will be put to good use, and he'll have an impact on the future of the NHL. Now, like the day he was traded to the Habs, I can be happy for him again.

Don't wanna think about it

I'm really happy that the Habs won, and not just because they've been a little slumpy lately, and I missed a few games, and there was no new 30 Rock tonight so I couldn't change the channel. There's another reason, and it was pretty big news today, so I don't need to spell it out for you.

In a season where Andrei Markov was only healthy for about three minutes, something happened to Josh Gorges. He didn't say anything about it. He didn't complain. He didn't look like he needed to miss the next game. He just took a therapy day. Then another, and another, and then finally he had to swallow his pride and admit that he was hurt, and I tried to avoid going into fits of rage and yelling about how much I hate his Black Knight act. It just keeps going downhill.

Today was a good day for a Canadiens win for a few reasons. I went to Florida for a few days and home teams were 3-for-3 at sporting events I attended (3 games, 3 sports, 3 days... I'm as shocked as you are). If I couldn't come home to the win that matters most to me, I would have hopped a plane back to the Sunshine State.

Okay, that's not true, but it might have been true if I didn't hate flying.

I was heartbroken, confused, and a million other things after the World Juniors gold medal game. Not even the thought of a gold medal win five years ago could cheer me up.

Then there was news about Josh. And it wasn't good news. I didn't know how to react, so I just didn't do anything. I didn't talk about it, I didn't think about it, I didn't throw anything. I just listened to some sad songs and resisted the urge to shut down. If the Habs didn't win, someone would probably have found me tomorrow evening, sobbing, mascara running down my cheeks (even though I haven't worn makeup in days), begging my cat to go get a tub of ice cream (even though we're both lactose intolerant). And that was before the ticker on TSN misspelled his name, and literally added insult to injury.

But the puck dropped, and I was able to see (most of) my Canadiens again. It wasn't an easy win, and there have been more enjoyable games this season, but all that matters in the end are those two points they earned. This is what the second half of the season might look like: it won't be easy, and it won't be pretty, but maybe things will end the way we want them to end. It wouldn't be hockey without a few surprises and a bit of heartbreak. We'll just have to wait and see.

Lost a player you love?

Hearing that one of your favourite hockey players was traded, or that he just moved away, is never easy to stomach. The 2009 offseason proved that. There isn't much you can do about it, outside of complaining to every news outlet you know or maybe writing your GM a strongly worded letter (send us a copy if you do!), and it can be a lot to handle emotionally. You might need to have some worthless breakable objects around in case you get really angry. Or you might need a tub of ice cream and some sad songs to help you feel better.
That's where we come in.

Introducing the I Can't Believe He's On Another Team playlist. It might help a little.

No Doubt - Don't Speak. I know from experience that it helps!


Matchbox Twenty - If You're Gone. It's a little cheesy and sad, but I kind of secretly love Matchbox Twenty. Don't you judge me. You're the one stuffing your face full of chocolates and weeping.


The Fray - Never Say Never. Because basically every song by the Fray is sad enough for an occasion such as this.

oh, and if you're really mad at management then their cover of Heartless might do it for you.



Metric - Combat Baby. I went with a live acoustic version here for you, because I love the original version (it's just as melancholy but the electronic sound makes it a bit more bouncy) but it sounds amazing when it's stripped down.


Heart - Alone. Because if you're really down, an 80's hair power ballad might be the only thing that can pick you up.


Or maybe you don't want to be emo anymore and want to try and cheer up and convince yourself that everything will be okay.