Farewell, Yash

I was in London when the team announced they were amicably parting ways with Alexei Yashin. Later that night I called Alexei and here’s the gist of what I told him:

Thank you for being a big part of our team’s renaissance after so many years of not feeling like we even had a chance.

Thank you for never once – ONCE! – turning down an interview request, even when those requests came from critics. (Okay, there was the one issue with Don Brennan of the Ottawa Sun, but Donnie Screwball is over-the-top).

Thank you for making such an indelible impression on EVERY fan who ever stopped to say hello to you in the mall or even interrupted your dinner at Morton’s.

Thank you for being so kind on a personal level to my family.

Thanks, Yash.