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Jeff Blashill emotional as he announces longtime trainer Sergei Tchekmarev has passed away.

— Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) February 20, 2021

The people that make the sport of hockey “work” are often unheralded. From the hockey parents to volunteer equipment managers for youth hockey, all the way to the physical therapists and behind the scenes workers at the pro level. In the life of a professional, these workers become like family. Some of the workers go long stretches without much sleep to keep the team going. Tchekmarev was one of those tireless workers.

I’ve seen players break down talking about billet families and locker room staff many times. The unbelievable job that they do for players whether they’re a franchise star or just there for a cup of coffee. Watching Blashill’s interview makes it clear that this was someone who has already left a hole in the hears of hundreds, if not thousands, of people who got to work with him.

I want to take a step back today. Yes, there is a game on. And, yes, I was beyond critical of last night’s performance. For just this one day, if you can, please hit the comment section with some kind thoughts to the family, friends, and the man himself. If we can get enough of them, I’ll screenshot the section and send it over to media relations. This guy kept some of our favorite players on the ice. He was a big part of what we’ve loved about this team for 20 years. Tomorrow, I’ll review the game from today. But for just this day, let’s honor someone who’s life was dedicated to making memories for everyone else.

It sounds like this was very sudden, very unexpected. The team had closed the doors in what the press thought may be a player’s meeting. It wasn’t, they were dealing with the very tragic news that Sergei Tchekmarev passed away. I will provide more details as they become available.

I was fortunate to meet Tchekmarev in Traverse City, along with my wife. He was trying to sneak past autograph seekers. Since he had the pass and the Winged Wheel logo, people went after him. “I’m not a player!” He was insisting. “That’s okay! We still want your autograph!” Was the response. A very funny and odd moment.

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