Hockey players for some are our idols, the guys we wish to be. Making the big money, having the hot ladies, and playing hockey every day. It sure seems like the life and it is. However, there really is another side of hockey that we don’t always see.
Defense-man Andreas Lilja has been recently cut from tryouts with the San Jose Sharks. Lilja played with the Detroit Red Wings last season with his time split between the NHL and AHL. The Wings offered Lilja somewhere in the realm of a $1,000,000, 1 year contract in the early off-season, however Lilja declined in hopes of greener pastures.
Lilja however has a bigger problem then just finding a team to play for; Lilja’s visa expires in 4 days on October 10th. Lilja, at the age of 35, also has children in school in the Michigan area.
Lilja is a talented player, a Stanley Cup ring from the 2007-2008 season with the Wings, and a good depth defense-man that most teams need. His hopes of remaining in the NHL after battling concussion symptoms last year has now posed a difficult problem and choice, if one, for his family. It will be nice if he is able to stay in the NHL as well as the United States, perhaps the Wings come back with a lower offer and a two-way contract to add depth, or another team throws something his way. The next few days will decide his future, for his career, his living location, and most importantly, his family.
Next time you watch a game, or lucky enough to run into one of your idols and say hello, remember that there are other factors that could be affecting their play, or their personality at that moment in time. Show some respect, show some love, and when it is all said and done, hockey is just a game.
