| On Monday, February 12th, the Philadelphia Flyers honored ex-Captain Keith Primeau in what was one of the most emotional hockey events ever. Keith Primeau was forced to retire due to lingering symptoms of a concussion he received on October of 2005. Keith had played 15 years in the NHL, having stints with Detroit, Hartford, Carolina and Philadelphia. But it was in Philadelphia where Keith truly became a Captain, both on and off the ice. Keith wasn't known for scoring a ton of goals or getting a ton of assists season after season. Keith was known for getting the best out of his teammates and having the attitude that with hard work and perseverance good things will happen. Keith understood that. His teammates understood that. And the Philadelphia fans understood that. The emotion and leadership displayed by Keith was a sight to behold.. I will always remember the Captaincy of Steve Yzerman, Mark Messier, and Mario Lemieux. But every Captain is different. And it's what you do for your team that makes you a Captain. And if asked about what makes a person worthy enough to wear the "C" on their sweater, i'm sure those guys would say the same thing. You can score 100 goals in one season but if your teammates don't follow you or you don't take the initiative to get those guys on your back, you don't deserve the "C" in my opinion. |  |
 | Keith Primeau was humble to no end. He didn't care about being in the spotlight or being on the front page of every hockey website. He just worked 100% every time, no matter what was asked from him or what was needed. He was able to get his teammates to focus and concentrate on what they had to do to help the club. He knew that if everyone on that Philadelphia team played up to their potential everything else would fall into place. It was that emotion and desire that won the fans over and ultimately, him being one of the most beloved Captains of that franchise. Monday night I had tears in my eyes...remembering what Keith brought to the game when he stepped onto the ice. Remembering the look on his eyes and the switch that turned on in the eyes of his teammates when he glanced over at them. I'll miss those like crazy. But the very fact that the game he loved and took control over was stripped from him, hurts a lot more. |
