MONTREAL, QC.– What is your most memorable Saku Koivu moment?
Perhaps, like me, you had a tear in your eye when you witnessed Koivu skate out to an extended standing ovation at the Molson Centre on April 9, 2002 after returning from cancer treatments that had kept him out for almost the entire season. Maybe you were devastated when on April 26, 2006 you witnessed Koivu being struck in the eye by Carolina Hurricanes forward Justin Williams. For others, you will recall the magic of Koivu with Teemu Selanne with the pair tying for the tournament lead in scoring at the 2006 Olympics in Turin where Finland earned a silver medal.
I will take a different tact and relate a more personal event.
The story begins three years ago in an aisle of my local IGA grocery store. I stood beside my cart focused on the shelves trying to make a terribly important decision like what kind of canned soup tastes like anything (answer: none). My concentration was abruptly interupted as another shopping cart slammed into mine.
I turned to see that it wasn’t a normal cart but one of the extended ones — you know, the kind with an amusement ride bolted to the front of it. There was a young blond girl in the “driver’s seat” of the green plastic attachment. The reason for the ‘crash’ became clear as behind the cart, I noticed a gentleman with a young boy climbing on his head.
The RVs of the grocery world look hard enough to steer as it is, but more difficult when your vision is obscured by a rambunctious two-year old.
When the boy was peeled off his dad, I recognized it was Saku Koivu shopping with his daughter Ilona and son Aatos. Koivu was quick to apologize for the minor bump. We exchanged a few words and then each went on our way in opposite directions.
Funny thing is, that we met and passed each other for the next three or four aisles. Each time Koivu either apologized again, nodded or smiled.
By the time we reached the cashier, Saku’s wife, Hanna had caught up with her family. While I waited for my groceries to be bagged, Koivu came over with his son in arms. We talked for several minutes about the Canadiens and hockey in general.
As I picked up the bags to leave, Koivu patted me on the arm, thanking me for writing about the team and for being a Canadiens fan.
The chance meeting is one that I won’t soon forget. Koivu was sincere, humble and personable. It was unlike any other encounter I’ve had with a professional athlete.
I met a world-class hockey player, the second-longest serving captain of the Montreal Canadiens and a cancer survivor. But on that day I admired a down-to-earth family man and a truly class human-being.
Leave a comment and tell us your favorite Saku Koivu moment.
(photo by Getty)