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Behind every great player is a great hockey mom
by Gerry Fraley, Special to FOXSports.com
Updated: October 9, 2008, 1:15 AM EST
When Dallas Star Mike Modano was seven years old, the first goalie he faced was his mom, Karen. She would use a trash-can lid as a blocker and a baseball glove as a trapper, and started off with the son firing tennis balls before advancing to vulcanized-rubber pucks. Karen Modano's shins took a beating, as did the washer and the dryer in the basement, but she never asked out of goal. "She did everything," her son said. "She was the ice superintendent for the backyard. She really had that down. And she'd always play goalie when no one else wanted to do it. She was a lot of fun."
Sarah Palin may have brought the term "hockey mom" into the U.S. presidential campaign, but as the National Hockey League season gets underway, NHL players are always reminded what a hockey mom truly is. Everything.
"She's there to support us 24-7, 365 days a year," said former NHL center and coach Ed Olczyk, who currently serves as a color commentator with the Versus network. "None of us would be where we are today without her." The hockey mom drives her son to the rink for practice at an ungodly hour, makes the meals and cleans the foul-smelling equipment. She knows how to lace up skates and make ice in the backyard. She gives up sleep and weekends for tournaments at far-away places. She sacrifices careers in favor of moves that will help her son's budding career.
She is coach, trainer, therapist, nutritionist, spiritual advisor and shoulder to lean upon --and that is just for starters. She can establish the athletic lineage, as Tatiana Ovechkin did for son Alex, the high-scoring forward of the Washington Capitals. Tatiana played for the USSR's women's basketball team that won gold medals at the 1976 and '80 Summer Olympics. The genetic link is strong. In shootouts, Ovechkin always kicks his left leg before making his move. Tatiana had a similar habit before looking to score, Ovechkin said. "My mother is a great sportsman," Ovechkin said. "She taught me so much. How to play. How to play hard. How to win."
The hockey mom can impart a mind-set. Mike Milbury was a hard-nosed defenseman for 11 seasons before moving into coaching and front-office work. The combative Milbury said he "loved my mom dearly," but she helped toughen him for what was ahead. "All I ever heard from her was 'You have to hustle more, work more,'" Milbury said. "That drove me nuts. What I got from her, besides genetics, was aggravation."
The hockey mom can also be an inspiration. While growing up in Gothenburg, Sweden, Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson played for his father, Hasse. Alfredsson's mother, Margareta, was the hard-working chef, laundress, and housekeeper for her son — despite being confined to a wheelchair. Margareta Alfredsson passed along the gift of determination to her son. A sixth-round pick in 1994 as an undersized winger, Daniel is entering his 13th season with the Senators. A Calder Memorial Trophy winner in 1996 and five-time All-Star, he has made his mark with grit and impeccable work ethic, just as his mother did.
"My mother was very supportive," Alfredsson said. "She was also a very stubborn woman. I've taken that from her, and it helped my career. She definitely had a big role with me."
High Flyers
The hockey mom can also be a determined defender. Mary Thornton travels as often as possible with husband Joe to watch their son Joe, an All-Star center with San Jose. She treasures mementoes such as the stub of a cigar Joe smoked to celebrate his performance after Team Canada won the World Junior Championships in 1997. But woe to anyone who takes too many shots at Joe Thornton, such as members of the Boston media. Taken with the first overall pick in the 1997 draft, Joe Thornton bore the brunt of criticisms for the Bruins' failures during his seven-plus seasons with the club. "I hope someone attacks their kids someday and puts it in the papers," Mary Thornton told Boston magazine in 2002. According to the magazine, Mary Thornton made the comments in a voice "wracked by emotion."
A few seasons ago while with San Jose, defenseman Scott Hannan lost part of a front tooth when hit by a deflected puck during the first period. Hannan underwent a quick root canal between periods to remove what remained of the tooth, returned to the game and was hit twice more in the mouth area, drawing blood each time. His mother took it all in without blinking. "She's a Canadian hockey mom," Hannan said.
Back in the U.S., Mike Modano's parents served as a point-counterpoint. Mike Sr. would tell his son what had to be done and to "get my butt in gear," while Karen, his mother and goalie, made sure her son had fun. "The two of them worked off each other very well," the son said. "When I wasn't feeling good about myself or how I was playing, she would be very positive and upbeat. She would give you the gentle side when you needed it." As often as possible, Mike Modano unabashedly tells his mother how much he loves her and appreciates what she did for him. And to make up for all the dents in the basement, he had the room repaired and transformed into a media center. He also made sure his mom got a new washer and dryer — the perfect thank you gift for a hockey mom.
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