Coach Q. reacts to Bickell's retirement.

He was special to him.

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 6 years ago
Coach Q. reacts to Bickell's retirement.
Keystone press agency

Long time Blackhawks winger Bryan Bickell announced that the end of his season with the Carolina Hurricanes will also mark the end of his professional career in hockey.

Bickell was tragically diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in November 2016. At 31-years-old, he will have notched 66 goals and 70 assists for 136 points in 393 games across ten seasons.

Bickell played nine of those ten years with the Chicago Blackhawks, winning three Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013 and 2015. He was drafted by Chicago 41st overall in the second round of the 2004 NHL entry draft. He played all his seasons in Chicago under current head coach Joel Quenneville, who he regarded Bickell as “a special guy”.


Personally, Bickell’s best season was in 2010-11, he notched a career high 17 goals and 20 assists for 37 points across 78 games.

Quenville had nothing but praise and pathos for his former player, “It’s a tough story, but at the same time... I thought he did a great job this year doing everything he could to get back and play”. He added that he was always “Happy to have him and fortunate to get a chance to coach for him”.

It’s a startling and untimely end to Bickell’s career, which was just beginning a new stage in Carolina after being traded this past offseason. Despite his time in the NHL being cut short, Bickell’s name will forever be enshrined three times on the Stanley Cup as part of this modern Blackhawks dynasty.


Source: Twitter