8 NHL players with a veteran family member

NHL Players with a Veteran Family Member

 

Commemorating them this Memorial Day is a list of 8 NHL Players with a veteran family member.
There are stories about them you won't read elsewhere, and there is a lot of diversity on the list. Some have been around for a long time and some are new.
Some will touch your heart and others will make you laugh.


1. Jonathan Quick

Jonathan Quick NHL Players with a Veteran Family Member

Jonathan Quick, the goaltender for the Los Angeles Kings and a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. He's been playing professional hockey since 2007.
His wife Jaclyn is a military veteran herself. They have three children together: son Cooper and daughters Rylan and Ryanne.
 

2. Brent Seabrook

Brent Seabrook is a defenseman for the Chicago Blackhawks and has been a NHL Player since 2003.
He started playing at the age of 14. He had a successful career at Cushing Academy in Massachusetts before playing for Michigan State University.

Brent Seabrook NHL Players with a Veteran Family Member

His father James Seabrook was a sergeant in the army who served from 1967 to 1969 as an infantryman in Vietnam. He was awarded two bronze star medals and received two Purple Hearts during his service. James has said that he doesn't talk about what happened over there because it's too hard for him to relive those memories; however, he does say that he is proud of his son for being such a good person and representing America well on the ice.

Raphael Diaz NHL Player

 

3. Raphael Diaz


Raph Diaz
is a defenseman for the Montreal Canadiens. His father, Rolando Diaz, was a pilot in the U.S. Air Force who flew missions over Vietnam and Central America.
He died when Raph was only 12 years old, but his memory lives on in his son's heart and mind as he does his best to honor him every day.

Raph is the first-ever member of the NHL family to come from Puerto Rico.

 


4. Jhonas Enroth

Jhonas Enroth is one of the NHL players with a veteran family member. he's been the goaltender for the Chicago Blackhawks.
His grandfather, an immigrant from Finland, served in the US Navy during World War II.

 Jhonas Enroth  NHL PLayer

Jhonas was born in Stockholm, Sweden in 1989 and moved to Chicago when he was young, and played hockey in Sweden before moving to North America to play junior hockey.

He then went on to play college hockey at Colorado College and professional hockey with the Toronto Maple Leafs before signing with the Buffalo Sabres (now the Carolina Hurricanes).

He has been playing goalie since he was little and he says that he's "just trying to do my best every day." Now, he's been the goaltender for the Chicago Blackhawks.


5. Mike Commodore

Mike Commodore is a hockey player who played in the NHL for over 10 years. He played for the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets, among others.

 Mike Commodore NHL players

Commodore's cousin, Tom Mooney, served in Vietnam and was awarded the Purple Heart for his service there.

"He was an amazing man," Commodore said of Mooney. "He spoke with such passion about how important it is to love your country and serve your country."

 



 

6. Hockey Player Alex Goligoski

Alex Goligoski, a defenseman for the Arizona Coyotes, is the son of a Vietnam veteran. He is also the father of two sons, who both served in the Navy.

Alex Goligoski Hockey player

Goligoski has been an active supporter of veterans and their families for years.

He has done everything from donating money to helping veterans find jobs once they return home from service.

In 2017, he hosted an event at which he collected donations for Operation Homefront and wrote a $50,000 check to Operation Homefront himself.

That same year, he also started his own foundation called “Alex’s Troops” which provides financial assistance to military families in need.

 

7. Stephen Weiss

If you're a hockey fan, you know Stephen Weiss. You remember him from his days with the Florida Panthers and the Detroit Red Wings.

You probably also know that he has a brother who is a veteran of the Iraq War, but what you might not know is that he has another brother who served in Afghanistan and came home with the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

Stephen Weiss NHL Player

Stephen Weiss's older brother, Eric Weiss, was deployed to Afghanistan in 2009.

While serving as an intelligence officer with the 101st Airborne Division, he was wounded by an IED blast in Kandahar Province and lost both legs below the knees.

He spent two years at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center before returning home to live with his family in Florida.

Now? Eric Weiss is on the board of directors for Wounded Warrior Project's Soldier Ride program and works closely with the organization's staff members to ensure that wounded veterans are getting all of the resources they need from one of America's most important charities.


8. Craig Smith

Craig Smith was drafted by the Nashville Predators in 2007 and has been playing for them ever since.
He is currently a captain of the team, and he's also the first player from his family to play in the NHL.
His brother, who is also named Craig, served in the Air Force for 11 years before retiring as a master sergeant and settling down with his wife in Georgia.

Craig Smith NHL player

Craig Smith's father served in Vietnam and was injured during combat. He survived but lost part of his left leg. Craig Smith said that "he still walks around with a cane." The former soldier now lives a quiet life with his wife and spends time with his grandchildren.

 

 

Please take the time this Memorial Day to remember all of our great heroes, both at home and abroad.

These are just 8 NHL players with a veteran family member that made an ultimate sacrifice for their fellow Americans.

We didn't even scratch the surface (there are many more NHL players with loved ones who have served in our military). God bless America and all those who give themselves so that we may live free.

 

 

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1 comment

Great article!

Loi

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