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Well-deserved award for these 3 hockey recipients

October 23, 2009 12:32 PM | Posted by   Kelly Hrudey  

This past week, three very distinguished members of the hockey community were recognized “for outstanding service to hockey in the United States” by receiving the Lester Patrick Award.

New York Ranger teammates Mark Messier and Mike Richter, as well as Detroit Red Wing executive Jimmy Devellano, are all fine examples of quality people that truly enhance the importance of the award.

I have very vivid recollections of the three of them from different periods in my life.

Moose's beginnings

Messier and I are the same age (only five days apart) but while Mark starred in youth hockey around the Edmonton area, I struggled mightily.

He was on everyone’s radar not only because of his famous father Doug but also for his own abilities. He was a terrific talent with a seldom-seen mean streak, which only added to the legendary status he started to gain.

I will never forget the first time I watched Mark play as a 15-year-old kid against guys as much as five years older.

Back in 1976, I went with my buddy Jeff Marshall from Elmwood (an Edmonton neighbourhood) to the Jasper Place Arena to watch the Spruce Grove Mets play. I was mesmerized by the sight of Mark, tearing up the league at such a young age. Incredibly, he finished that year with 66 points in only 57 games.

Safe to say I was not the least bit surprised to see Messier star in the National Hockey League for years.

Next on the list is the man who dramatically changed my life.

Ship that Jimmy built

Before Jimmy Devellano built the Red Wings into the powerhouse they are today, he helped build the New York Islanders into the dynasty they were in the eighties.

The summer of their first Stanley Cup victory, Jimmy and the Islanders drafted me in the second round of the 1980 draft.

It was during a late-season call up to play for the Islanders’ top farm team (the Indianapolis Checkers in the Central Hockey League) after my Medicine Hat Tigers were eliminated from our playoffs that I really got to know Jimmy on a more personal level.

Wow, what a bright hockey mind!

It was a huge loss for the Islander organization when Devellano decided to move to Detroit.

Lucky for me, I still run into Jimmy in arenas around the league and I often tease him by apologizing for being the one blemish on his impeccable drafting record.

Broadway meeting

Lastly, I remember Mike Richter for a chance off-ice encounter more than anything.

Of course, the New York Rangers won the Stanley Cup in 1994 with Mike Keenan as their head coach, but it certainly wasn’t smooth sailing to get to that point.

We all know of Keenan’s fiery demeanour and it was on full display early that season when we (the Los Angeles Kings) came to town for a game Oct. 24.

The Rangers had just lost three consecutive games giving up 12 goals and Keenan was not happy and his target was none other than Richter.

Publicly Keenan challenged Richter to be much better and we all know sometimes that works, other times, not so much.

Why do I remember this, well, the night before the game, some of my teammates and I went to a restaurant called Il Vagabondo on 62nd street in NYC.

Richter responds

Tony Granato was with us and he and Richter were teammates at the University of Wisconsin.

As we were leaving the restaurant, unbeknownst to us, some of the Rangers had dinner there too, so we basically bumped into them walking out the door.

That’s when Tony introduced me to Mike and I remember looking at him wondering what he was thinking and how he was holding up because the heat was really on him.

Well, I found out the next night. Richter was simply brilliant as his team edged ours 3-2 and went on a remarkable 14-game unbeaten streak.

The Lester Patrick Award is a great accomplishment and these three gentlemen deserve all the credit because they earned it. Congratulations.

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