Many people probably recognize the man on the right as Winnipeg Jets goalie Eric Comrie. Beside him is his beautiful wife, Haley, who has to deal with all the twists and turns of Eric’s career, including moving when Eric is traded or signs elsewhere, keeping the daily distractions away from Eric when he’s on the schedule, and dealing with an unhappy goaltender when he’s having a bad night. I’m not a professional athlete, so I’m sure I’ve left out a few details about the things Haley does for Eric, but an article submitted late last night by Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press about Eric and Haley Comrie stayed with me all day.I have no doubt that NHL hockey wives deal with all the issues that typically split a two-parent household because their husbands are on the road all the time. For his part, Eric Comrie seems like a really good guy who always tries to be present at home for big moments and family moments, but sometimes his job gets in the way. McIntyre’s story shows how important Haley is to Team Comrie, and I think she’ll be that team’s MVP if Eric votes.
“After the last game, I wasn’t in the best mental space I’ve ever been in in my life,” Comrie told McIntyre last night after helping the Jets snap their 11-game losing streak. “My wife really helped me out. What she did today was incredible.”
Comrie, if you recall, had a very rough outing against the Toronto Maple Leafs on New Year’s Day, surrendering six goals on 30 shots as the Jets lost 6-5 to the Maple Leafs. It was a game in which Winnipeg held a 4-1 lead entering the third period before the roof collapsed on the lovable netminder and his team as the Leafs rallied.
With Comrie set to start against Los Angeles, it appears the biggest assist in the 5-1 win didn’t come on the ice, but in the Comrie household as Haley did something to calm her husband’s nerves.
“She put some pictures of my kids in my car, both of whom play hockey. It showed me why I play the game and why I love the game,” said Comrie, who became visibly choked up as he spoke. “It got me back into the mindset of playing hockey again, being a kid and having fun out there. It was pretty special for me out there.”
To quote Moneyball: “How can you not be romantic about hockey?”
I completely understand the idea that after a bad game, Comrie thinks and ponders every play and every shot in his head. I always took that same mentality home with me after playing a game, and it took a lot of reflection to break that way of thinking. For Comrie, all he needed was a reminder from his wife that this game should be played for fun, regardless of age.
“It’s hard to stay angry when I come home and my daughter calls out, ‘Daddy, daddy, daddy, come give me a big hug and a big kiss.’ She wants to show what she’s done all day, and then I have two dogs jumping all over me,” he said of coming home after games.
If that doesn’t touch the old heartstrings a bit, you might want to see a doctor to see if your heart is indeed beating in your chest.
I have made it a point on this blog never to write about a player’s personal life outside of the rink. I truly believe they are entitled to as much of their private life as anyone who reads this blog. This story, even though it is personal, feels different because it is a stark reminder that hockey players are human and they have their flaws just like you and me.
Eric Comrie was down after a few outings where he probably thought he should have been better, but his best friend was there to pick him up when he needed it most. Haley Comrie put things back into perspective with one simple reminder: stop worrying about all the noise and just have fun like the kids would.
I’d like to convey a “thank you” and a big shout out to Mike McIntyre who submitted this story late last night, with all credit for the quotes rightly going to him, but this is the kind of story we should be looking for more often. Hockey in North America is a cutthroat business that eats people up and spits them out. They can’t handle the pressure of playing, and stories like Eric Comrie’s with McIntyre show that there is a human side to the game that should shine through the joyless aspects of the game.
Thank you, Eric, for sharing your story, and thank you, Haley, for providing a perspective that is too often forgotten today.
Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!