Hit Hard, Be Nice

Everyone has heard “Nice guys finish last”, and hockey certainly is not known for being the gentleman’s sport. For every nice guy moment, there are 5 fights. Most professional athletes have a stigma, their ego, that they are infamous for-some sports more than others. In my personal experience, I was perplexed to find that the toughest NHLers that throw punches for someone looking too long are some of the nicest professional athletes around.

I am extremely lucky to live near to the Dallas Stars practice facility and because they have practices open to the public, I am able to have a unique perspective of each player and the team dynamic. Routinely, you can hear Antoine Roussel screaming, singing, or a combination of both. Tyler Seguin’s personally signature “OHHH!” and the occasional pranks such as when Jordie Benn put his gum on Adam Cracknell’s helmet. And of course, after official practice wraps up, the shenanigans that the younger players put on, creating new games seemingly everyday. A unique perspective indeed.

Another cool feat of open practices is that the fans are able to line up in a hall outside the locker room and a few players every time will come out and sign. This is not like most NHL practice facilities that I have seen either, of fans sporadically waiting outside or at different points hoping to stop a player walking to their car; this is a sanctioned place where fans are guaranteed to meet at least one player.

Over this last season, as I have been able to attend most practices, I have had the opportunity to see, talk to and get to know Curtis Mckenzie. Curtis is in his 3rd year with the Stars organization, playing between the NHL and AHL. In the AHL, Mckenzie was named Rookie Of The Year and lead the team in penalty minutes and second in goals and assists on their way to becoming the Calder Cup Champions in 2013-14. In his time in the NHL, he has been a utility 4th line left winger- physical and drives to the net.
In this, his first full season in the NHL, Stars beat writer Mike Heika argues he has earned his way into being a full time player. All in all, he is not the biggest name on the team by any means, but seeing him practice and watching his work ethic, pushing himself and practicing with coaches for much longer after Benn and Seguin have left the ice has made me grow to appreciate him more; one of the first one the ice and one of the last to leave is how he works hard to stay at the NHL level. Curtis is also the most reliable player to come out to see fans and sign after practice. A combination of watching how he conducts on and off the ice has made him my favorite player.

February 22nd was Mckenzie’s birthday.  I wrote him a letter explaining just how much I appreciate his play, work ethic, being the Stars Everyone Can Play ambassador and overall for being a great guy.  (I also bought him a Texas Rangers hat because: A. He always wears hats and B. Being Canadian, he always wears a Blue Jays hat and in Texas that is simply unacceptable.) I was able to give him the gift the last practice before the team went on their bye week (Feb 19-23). He was his normal self, overly smiling and “you didn’t have to” and thanked me at least 20 times. I also coaxed a promise that he would not wear the Blue Jays hat, at least around me, again.

The Stars did not practice again until Feb. 23 and I was pretty nervous since this was the first time I would see Curtis since the gift and letter. Practice carried on as usual except that he was one of the first off the ice. We did not think much about it so my friends and I retreated to the hallway. There were quite a few fans there so we ended up pretty far down the line. About 20 minutes of waiting, we see and hear the locker room door open. My eyes dart to look and I immediately am struck. Curtis was the first player out. One thing caught my attention right away; he was wearing the Texas Rangers hat. Freaking out was an understatement. He had his hands full with something I could not see through the fans but he still stopped and took pictures and signed for each and every fan. Finally, he made his way to me. “Hey Carlie! Nice hat, eh?” If we thought I was freaking out before…

I finally noticed what he was holding as he was lifting it up. “I wanted to thank you for the gifts, and your nice words in that letter. That was one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me. This is for you,” he said as he handed me a stick. I think I squealed out a “Thank you”. I continued to ask how his birthday and week off was and babbled off more I’m sure. I thanked him again and let him continue down the line towards more fans. I had to take a step back and let it sink in. I never felt more appreciated as a fan than I did at that moment. Not only did he take the time to write out a message (and spell my name right), but remembered, a week later to bring and wear one of the hats I gave him- He planned to do that, for me. No one made him and I certainly did not ask for it. He wanted to show his appreciation and it was definitely felt.

*Shattered Lens Photography