5 best feel-good moments from the 2021-22 season
The 2021-22 NHL regular season featured many unforgettable moments that covered a wide range of emotions.
Here, we reflect on those that made everyone in the hockey world feel good - regardless of who you cheer for.
Guy Lafleur remembered
If there's one thing about the Montreal Canadiens that hockey fans can agree on, it's that the NHL's oldest franchise knows how to hold a proper pregame ceremony. That's never been more true than when the Habs honored Guy Lafleur in their first home game after his passing.
The Bell Centre faithful gave a 10-minute standing ovation for the beloved legend before puck drop, and Montreal incorporated several classy touches throughout the evening, including shining a spotlight on "The Flower's" iconic No. 10, removing ads on the boards to write his name, and gathering the players underneath his banner to raise their sticks after the contest. All in all, it was the epitome of class and a unifying tribute for the hockey world after a big loss.
Kraken fan helps save life of Canucks' equipment manager
This moment had nothing to do with the sport itself but was unforgettable nonetheless. Nadia Popovici, a Seattle Kraken fan and future medical student, used the Notes app on her phone to warn Vancouver Canucks assistant equipment manager Brian Hamilton during a game that a mole on the back of his neck looked cancerous.
Popovici was right. Hamilton had the mole removed, and doctors confirmed it had cancerous cells and life-threatening implications. After the operation, Hamilton posted a letter to the Canucks' Twitter account in hopes of identifying Popovici, and the two met up the next time Vancouver was in Seattle.
"She extended my life. I've got a wonderful family. I've got a wonderful daughter. … She saved my life," Hamilton said.
The Kraken and Canucks combined to award Popovici a $10,000 scholarship and honored her with a video tribute during a later game in thanks.
Bokondji Imama's 1st NHL goal
Bokondji Imama took a long, difficult path to the NHL, but his hard work and determination were almost instantly rewarded. The 25-year-old played five full seasons in the QMJHL, then bounced around multiple AHL and ECHL organizations after the Tampa Bay Lightning drafted him 180th overall in 2015.
This season with the Tucson Roadrunners, Imama was targeted with a racist gesture that warranted a 30-game suspension for the perpetrator. Imama finally made his NHL debut for the Arizona Coyotes on April 22 and scored his first goal the next day to spark a three-goal, third-period rally against the heavily favored St. Louis Blues.
His reaction was great enough on its own, but the sight of his parents and sisters shedding tears of joy in celebration in the stands was truly priceless.
Carey Price returns
The Canadiens' legions of loyal fans produced two of the season's most heartwarming moments in a matter of weeks. Not long before the Lafleur ceremony, Montreal welcomed back its most cherished player of this generation: Carey Price.
After carrying the Canadiens to the Stanley Cup Final last summer, Price missed the first 74 games of Montreal's season due to recovery from knee surgery and a month in the NHL's player assistance program. It was a long road back to the ice, and the former MVP returned to a thunderous ovation.
Price isn't only the heart and soul of the Canadiens, but he's also one of the most respected veterans in the league. Sidney Crosby was one of the players who reached out to wish him well after his first game back, which is a strong indicator of Price's reputation among his peers.
Ovechkin moves into 3rd place on goals list
Until Alex Ovechkin retires, his pursuit of the NHL's goal record will be one of the most popular subplots of any season. The "Great Eight" provided plenty of entertainment in that regard this past campaign, catapulting from seventh to third on the all-time list with his 767th career goal in March.
Ovechkin passed Marcel Dionne, Brett Hull, and Jaromir Jagr this season to move onto the podium behind only Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky. The hockey world may be a bit numb to Ovechkin's goal-scoring exploits by now, but each time he moves up the ladder, it's a must-see moment.
Jagr himself reached out to congratulate Ovechkin, making the big moment even sweeter.