Another NHL Retirement...

My heroes are all leaving the NHL. I guess that's a function of their ages... and mine.  No guessing to it, actually - it's just the natural progression of things.  This year we've seen two guys go that I respected a lot, one as a worthy opponent (Joe Sakic) and another (Brendan Shanahan) who was an integral part of three Dee-troit Stanley Cup teams.  It pained me to see both those guys go.

But yesterday another former Wing announced his retirement and this one hurt... a lot.  I've been a Wings fan since 1985 and during that time I've bought a bit of Wings paraphernalia... hats, tee shirts, coffee cups... and I've been gifted with as much stuff as I've bought.  But in all this time I've only bought ONE Wings jersey (yeah: I'm cheap like that).  Wanna guess whose number is on the back?  Not Yzerman.  Not Probert. Not Federov.  Not Lidstrom.  Those would all be good guesses, but they'd all be wrong.  Nope... it's 25.  And Darren McCarty announced his retirement yesterday.  From the Wiki:

Drafted in the 2nd round, 46th overall, by the Red Wings in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft, McCarty scored 26 points in his rookie season as the Wings won the Central Division title. In the 1996–97 NHL season, McCarty scored a career best 19 goals and 42 points as the Wings swept the Philadelphia Flyers for their first Stanley Cup in 42 years. McCarty scored the Cup-clinching goal in Game 4. This goal, scored on an inside-outside move around a Flyers' defenseman and goalie, was honored as one of the best goals of the year.

From the 1997–98 season until his departure from the team, McCarty was part of Detroit's famous Grind Line with center Kris Draper and winger Kirk Maltby, which was often matched up against the opponent's top offensive line.

One of McCarty's most infamous moments was in the famous "Fight Night at the Joe" on March 26, 1997 (ed: Happy Birthday to me...  What a present that was!), where a massive brawl broke out between the Colorado Avalanche and Red Wings. McCarty fought Avalanche right winger Claude Lemieux with a blistering punch, and continued punching Lemieux while Lemieux "turtled" his body to avoid damage. The fight was also considered what had broken the curse over the Red Wings, as they went on to win their first Stanley cup in over 40 years. McCarty also scored the winning goal in overtime, a 6-5.

In the 2002 Stanley Cup Playoffs, McCarty registered his first hat-trick in Game One of the Western Conference Finals against the Colorado Avalanche's Patrick Roy. McCarty scored four goals in the series, a career best. Detroit won the series and eventually a third Stanley Cup in six years.

McCarty was the workingman's hockey player... a journeyman, never considered a star and a doubtful Hall of Fame candidate.  But he showed up every night, he played hard, he took care of his team mates, and he scored some spectacular goals in his career when they counted most... chief among them his goals against the hated Avalanche in the 2002 Western conference finals.   But the goal I'll always remember him for is this beauty:

That was the game winner in the final game of the 1997 Stanley Cup Finals... a four game sweep of the Philadelphia Flyers.  And a prettier goal you never will see, as well.   I was in a sports bar that night in Rochester NY, with two good friends... the three of us Detroit expats... and we literally EXPLODED out of our seats when McCarty scored that goal.  That goal... that game... ended a 42-year Stanley Cup drought for Detroit.  It sure got drunk out that night... 

Thanks, Darren.