How Do You Say Goodbye?
How do you say Goodbye?
April 10th, 2017
This weekend I, like every other person in The Joe, said goodbye. Unlike most I was on the ice to do so. Joe Louis Arena is the arena of my childhood, the arena where my NHL dreams began. I have been fortunate enough to be able to make those dreams reality.
I was also fortunate enough to be named an honorary Red Wing Alumni this weekend. That's why I was on the ice, because the owner thought I belonged. I found out after the final game Sunday that it was also Mr. Ilitch’s wish. He will never know how much that means to me, but I guess his eldest son knows as he saw me year up after he told me.
The Joe was where I learned all of my valuable hockey skills. From my first “solo” skate at 2 with Stevie Y, to following Vladdy and Lidas around everywhere to learn how they played D at 4, even learning how to fight at age 8 from Carts in the back corridors. Yes, there's a story there and if you were there you already know it. If not, suffice to say Al MacInnes is a wonderfully forgiving man and I haven't been a fan of Pronger since.
I practically lived in the Red Wings locker room as a kid, makes sense too. My dad was one of the trainers and equipment guys for the team from before I was born until the summer of 2002. My mom worked for Kenny Holland as his secretary until the same summer. My brothers and I were as welcome as players kids were. Meaning as long as we behaved we could be around and we always helped out. We weren't always allowed around, I can think of a few times either myself or Jack Johnson weren't allowed until we wrote letters of apology for whatever it was that we had done. It was a great time to be a member of the extended Red Wings family.
How do you say goodbye though? Honestly I think how it was done was perfect. The Wings had their final loss Saturday followed by the wonderful final win on Sunday. Every Alumni who could be there, was there. Those who weren't there, had good reasons but they were missed.
The Wings said goodbye how we always do, as a family. The final salute was something I will never forget. The same with the Alumni tour of the new arena. It will be fun to create new memories there. Maybe someday they will be able to bring Lord Stanley for a visit. Not too soon though as I know another team I love wants to win it again, back to back.
Next season The Wings move to that arena, Little Caesar's Arena, but just like The Olympia before her, we will always have The Joe.
Aleks Malakhov-Crosby
Honorary Red Wing Alumni and proud of it
This weekend I, like every other person in The Joe, said goodbye. Unlike most I was on the ice to do so. Joe Louis Arena is the arena of my childhood, the arena where my NHL dreams began. I have been fortunate enough to be able to make those dreams reality.
I was also fortunate enough to be named an honorary Red Wing Alumni this weekend. That's why I was on the ice, because the owner thought I belonged. I found out after the final game Sunday that it was also Mr. Ilitch’s wish. He will never know how much that means to me, but I guess his eldest son knows as he saw me year up after he told me.
The Joe was where I learned all of my valuable hockey skills. From my first “solo” skate at 2 with Stevie Y, to following Vladdy and Lidas around everywhere to learn how they played D at 4, even learning how to fight at age 8 from Carts in the back corridors. Yes, there's a story there and if you were there you already know it. If not, suffice to say Al MacInnes is a wonderfully forgiving man and I haven't been a fan of Pronger since.
I practically lived in the Red Wings locker room as a kid, makes sense too. My dad was one of the trainers and equipment guys for the team from before I was born until the summer of 2002. My mom worked for Kenny Holland as his secretary until the same summer. My brothers and I were as welcome as players kids were. Meaning as long as we behaved we could be around and we always helped out. We weren't always allowed around, I can think of a few times either myself or Jack Johnson weren't allowed until we wrote letters of apology for whatever it was that we had done. It was a great time to be a member of the extended Red Wings family.
How do you say goodbye though? Honestly I think how it was done was perfect. The Wings had their final loss Saturday followed by the wonderful final win on Sunday. Every Alumni who could be there, was there. Those who weren't there, had good reasons but they were missed.
The Wings said goodbye how we always do, as a family. The final salute was something I will never forget. The same with the Alumni tour of the new arena. It will be fun to create new memories there. Maybe someday they will be able to bring Lord Stanley for a visit. Not too soon though as I know another team I love wants to win it again, back to back.
Next season The Wings move to that arena, Little Caesar's Arena, but just like The Olympia before her, we will always have The Joe.
Aleks Malakhov-Crosby
Honorary Red Wing Alumni and proud of it
♠ ♠ ♠
I was wracking my brain on how to say my own Goodbye to The Joe when I was given the prompt of having Aleks' do it. Yes I know she never was a "real" Red Wing but this is my AU and I can do what I want!