Frozen Fantasy: Joy of the Game

It's easy to get caught up in the busyness of life. And lose sight of the little things that can truly inspire. And why they do.

My tears reminded me of that Saturday night. I won't soon forget them.

The Leafs honored the great Borje Salming before Saturday's game. Stricken suddenly and rapidly with ALS, Salming is a shell of himself. He can no longer speak. He needs an arm to lean on while walking.

But Salming's joy at the tribute on Hall-of-Fame weekend was written all over his face. It was more than palpable. It was entirely in the moment.

The Leafs' greats of his era were in the house. So was Mats Sundin. And the Sedin twins, who go into the Hall on Monday. Salming started the Swedish wave and was second only to Bobby Orr early in his career. That's how good he was.

Young Swedes William Nylander and Oliver Ekman-Larsson took the ceremonial faceoff and were clearly moved to have their hero drop the puck. The Leafs started the game with an all-Swedish lineup, all the way to the net. Class all around.

Teammate and friend Darryl Sittler wept openly, even in TV interviews. Dave "Tiger" Williams welled up and shed a few. Borje's family wiped tears as they stood beside him at center ice, watching the video tribute.  

And oh, what a tribute.

The footage of Salming playing was incredible. He broke ground in his era and clearly did it with skill and perseverance. But the pure joy at what the game, city and tribute meant to him reminded me that living in the moment – and absorbing each one – is all that really matters.

Godspeed, Mr. Salming. ALS is ugly and cruel. Even crueler than the Broadstreet Bullies who tried to intimidate you back to Sweden. Thank you for sharing your true self to the world Saturday night. It was a reminder I think we all needed.

I know I really did.

Now let's take a look at who caught my eye this week.

Jake Bean, D, Columbus (5 percent Yahoo!) – Bean immediately stepped into Zach Werenski's skates after the latter's season-ending injury and he's already producing with two helpers - one of these on the man-advantage - in Saturday's loss to the Isles. Once upon a time, there was a reason Bean was a 13th overall draft pick. Maybe he can inject some juice into that original storybook moment and resume his trajectory. If not, Bean will get some points and blocks, but perhaps sting you with plus-minus. You decide if you want to be part of that kind of fairy tale.

Mike Hoffman, LW/RW, Montreal (2 percent Yahoo!) – Hoffman is getting old and slow, but he still has his hands. He scored the winner in OT on Saturday to stretch his goal streak to three games and four goals. Hoffman's a decent spot starter in goal-heavy leagues while he's hot. Just don't hold on for too long.

David Jiricek, D, Columbus (1 percent Yahoo!) – The Jackets are teetering on the edge of disaster. They only have five wins and just added Zach Werenski's name to the injury list alongside Nick Blankenburg, Adam Boqvist and Erik Gudbranson. That's their top-four. Gulp. Jake Bean (above) is getting first crack to step up and so far, so good. Jiricek is the obvious choice to call up and help, and the Jackets did that Friday - only to send him back down the next day. It's only a matter of time before he's back, and the kid is an impressive defender. Jiricek almost made the team out of camp because of his refined two-way game and cannon shot. Keep an eye on the wire. He could be an early gift.

Kevin Labanc, LW/RW, San Jose (2 percent Yahoo!) – Labanc showed so much promise early in his career, but has never been able to build on his 56-point, age-23 season. Until now. He's on a three-game, five-point streak skating into Sunday night and is clicking with Timo Meier and Tomas Hertl on the Sharky's top line. Labanc is a playmaker first, but he's wired 11 shots in that span – he only had 10 total across his previous 10 outings. Is this real? Who knows, but he's finally healthy and looks like he has seized the opportunity in front of him. That's a lot more than most others.

Sonny Milano, LW/RW, Washington (2 percent Yahoo!) – Milano's uneasy summer finally came to an end a week ago and he looks dialed in and ready to prove people wrong. After his best NHL season last year, Milano wasn't re-signed by the Ducks and then the Flames didn't ink him after inviting him to camp on a PTO.  Now, the first-round pick is on the Caps' second line and was the best player on the ice Friday against the Bolts. Milano scored twice - including the game-winner - while adding an assist and wiring four shots in a 5-1 result. He won't be that way every night, but I like players with chips on their shoulders. And the Caps will let Milano roll given the extent of their IR list - especially up front. Win-win.

Logan O'Connor, LW/RW, Colorado (2 percent Yahoo!) – Logan who? OK, OK –  O'Connor's got a Cup ring. I get it. But unless you're a diehard Avs fan, you really don't know him. O'Connor is a lunch bucket, bottom-six guy who does all the small things right for just a little bit of cash. Injuries have increased his role and ice time, and those small things seem a whole lot larger. And maybe better. O'Connor had a three-game, four-goal streak snapped Saturday, but he's still on a career pace for points, hits and blocked shots. Deep leagues need depth fillers sometimes, and this Texan can be just that.

Nick Perbix, D, Tampa Bay (1 percent Yahoo!) – Perbix has very quietly slipped into the Bolts' top-four and has already delivered some pretty impressive results on the ice. He's poised in transition and isn't afraid to lay into guys with his 6-foot-4 frame. And the offense is following – Perbix is on three-game, three-point streak heading into Sunday. He's paired up with Mikhail Sergachev at even strength, and already looks like a potential sixth-round gem for the Bolts. I have already jumped on board and have Perbix active for Sunday games. I'm eager to see what he can do. He's gotta be better than Chris Wideman, right?

Tomas Tatar, LW/RW, New Jersey (6 percent Yahoo!) – The Devils are no longer your dad's Devils. They're fun, fast and exciting, and they're playing incredible hockey right now. Tatar is a huge part of that. Nine of his 11 points have come on his current seven-game streak (two goals, seven assists) and all 11 of his points have come in the last 10 outings. He's also plus-13 in those 10 with 21 shots and six blocked shots. Tatar is doing it without power-play exposure, but that's OK. This kind of production can provide your squad with quiet stability while your streakers streak. 

Karel Vejmelka, G, Arizona (34 percent Yahoo!) – Vejmelka was really impressive in that shutout win over the Isles on Thursday night. I'll be the first to admit I don't watch a lot of desert-based hockey. Or the Isles, for that matter. But maybe I should. The SO was the cap on a three-game winning streak and the big man was sharp. I'd forgotten Vejmelka was a Preds' draft pick (2015) and we both know they know a thing or six about that position. At minimum, he's going to see a lot of pucks and battle hard, so he's most valuable in leagues that count total saves and save percentage. But Vejmelka might just give you 25 wins too.

Jason Zucker, LW, Pittsburgh (15 percent Yahoo!) – I'll make this quick. Yes, the Pens are struggling. But anyone on a point-per-game pace who is skating with Evgeni Malkin should be on a lot more rosters. Zucker posted three assists in Saturday's loss and is averaging more than three shots a game, at least over his last six. And he's logging power-play minuted. Zucker isn't a trendy pick and that's good, because trends fade fast. The Pens' top-six aren't going to fade anytime soon – they're going to drag that team forward. Zucker might end up being your waiver wire MVP come season's end. A little like Trevor Moore was last year.

Back to the joy of the game.

Later Saturday night, I got to see journeyman defender Jordie Benn score his first goal as a Maple Leaf. The 35-year-old from British Columbia looked like a tyke in Tim Bits hockey who had just scored his first-ever goal. 

The leap on the glass. The scream and the smile. And the hugs and joy of his teammates.

And then 22-year-old Matej Blumel ripped the first goal of his NHL career Sunday afternoon against the Flyers. Same raw emotion. Same joy. Same huge smile.

Moments matter. Getting caught up in minutia doesn't. I'm going to tune into moments a whole lot more and tune out multiple devices and the negativity that flows by every day.

Hockey makes me feel. I'm not going to take that away from myself anymore.

Here's the YouTube link again if you missed Saturday's tribute. It's OK if you get something in your eye.

Until next week.