Before this season, brothers William and Alexander Nylander posed at center ice. While captured a nice family moment, the video was still rolling when William gave Alexander .
Brady Tkachuk sat in the stands for brother Matthew鈥檚 playoff games during Florida鈥檚 last spring. But when this season, all the brotherly love was lost.
Hockey history is full of brothers on the big stage. This includes Maurice and Henri Richard during one of Montreal鈥檚 dynasties, Mark and Marty Howe playing with father Gordie in Hartford, plus more recently in Vancouver. This season alone boasts 20 sets of brothers playing in the NHL, marking a golden age for bloodlines on the ice.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely a sport where it鈥檚 a family thing and it takes a lot of support,鈥� said Washington defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk, who is two years younger than brother James, now with Boston. 鈥淗ockey is a game where a lot of it, obviously, depends on skills and stuff like that. But there鈥檚 so much where if you鈥檙e a smart player and you have an older brother that kind of shows you how to play and what to expect, it鈥檚 kind of a huge advantage.鈥�
Many of the brothers who made it to the top league in the world chalk it up to childhood mornings at the rink.
鈥淲e were just playing around, but we would compete and we would just raise each other鈥檚 level without even knowing we were raising each other鈥檚 level,鈥� said Philadelphia defenseman Marc Staal, who has played much of his career with brothers Jordan and Eric, and briefly Jared, also in the NHL. 鈥淵ou want success because you鈥檝e seen your brother have success or you push him to have more success.鈥�
Marc and Eric Staal shared the Panthers鈥� Cup Final run together as teammates. Marc said having their kids at the rink and in school made it seem like a normal family workweek.
Then there鈥檚 being on opposite sides, such as an Ottawa vs. Florida game where the teams had combined for 167 penalty minutes by late November. experienced that last week, jawing at each other like opponents with a grudge to settle, although they鈥檝e promised their mother they鈥檇 never fight each other.
鈥淭hat rule will not be broken,鈥� Brady said.
It鈥檚 likely best for future Thanksgiving get-togethers. The Staals also appreciate this shared experience now that retirement isn鈥檛 far off. Their father Keith, who played 18 NHL seasons, pointed that out. Matthew recalled Brady getting drafted and the words he said five years ago.
鈥淚 was like: 鈥榃e鈥檙e going to play against each other this year. How great is that?鈥欌�� Matthew recalled. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 five years ago. It鈥檚 crazy how fast it鈥檚 gone.鈥�
It鈥檚 not out of the realm of possibility a trio of brothers sweeps the Hart Trophy as MVP, Norris as top defenseman and Calder as rookie of the year. Vancouver鈥檚 Quinn Hughes looks like the Norris frontrunner a quarter of the way through the season, while New Jersey鈥檚 Jack could be in the Hart talk and Luke the Calder conversation.
The Canucks and Devils play Tuesday night in Vancouver.
鈥淭hat鈥檒l be a lot of fun 鈥� the three of us in a game,鈥� said Jack, on Thursday. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just a credit to our parents and how well they brought us up and how they taught us. It鈥檚 a celebration for them.鈥�
Hockey, perhaps more so than other sports, is a bastion of brotherly competition and players benefit from seeing someone in the family go through the same ups and downs. Trevor van Riemsdyk knows he wouldn鈥檛 have gotten through Division I hockey and to the NHL without James forging that path. Capitals teammate Dylan Strome went through a similar circumstance learning from older brother Ryan, who was also drafted high but returned to the minors before breaking through in the NHL.
Just as Brady cheered on Matthew and the Panthers, Dylan was waving a rally towel at Madison Square Garden two years ago when Ryan and t the playoffs. As long as they鈥檙e not facing off鈥� like they did again Thursday 鈥� 鈥淓very other night, we鈥檙e cheering for each other,鈥� Dylan said.
While being in the league is a common bond, Calgary鈥檚 Chris and Seattle鈥檚 Brandon Tanev spend plenty of time talking throughout the season and summer. However, it鈥檚 rare to play on the same team, like Seth and Caleb Jones did for two years with the Blackhawks. They were sometimes paired together on the ice.
鈥淲e never thought of playing together in the NHL,鈥� Seth said. 鈥淲e two weeks apart a couple of summers ago, which was pretty insane. It鈥檚 crazy how that worked out.鈥�
It almost became a storybook finish of Eric and Marc Staal raising the Stanley Cup together, reaching the final before . While a , it made them appreciate going through it together.
鈥淚t鈥檚 something that we鈥檒l always have and never forget,鈥� Marc said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e all just kind of been soaking it in, not knowing when it鈥檚 going to end.鈥�
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