Former Blackhawk Bickell focused on moving forward

When the news broke on Nov. 11 that former Blackhawks and current Carolina Hurricanes winger Bryan Bickell was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, the reaction across the hockey world was nothing short of astounding.

Bickell's former Hawks teammates, coaches and front-office personnel were all quick to reach out, and fan support on social media reached dizzying heights as 749 followers responded to his tweet thanking them all.

A slightly edited sampling:

• "All my thoughts to you and ur family. Will never forget ur 2013 heroics as long as I live. You were/are/always will be a Hawk!"

• "Bryan, 3 years ago you signed a picture for me after heart transplant through a friend. Nothing but the best wishes. Get well soon."

• "Thanks for ur time in Chicago. U r one (heck) of a player and a better person. We wish u the best. Thoughts and prayers on the way."

Comments like these - combined with the constant flood of well wishes and prayers - have helped the Bickells immensely.

"It's overwhelming," Bickell said in a phone interview with the Daily Herald last week. "Feels good in a way. Obviously (bad) news. But to see all the people that you've helped or touched through the sport is great.

"Going into my career, that's kind of what I wanted to be. I wanted to be a happy, go-getter guy. … The people that reached out, it's touching and it helped us get through the hard time."

Bickell found out he had MS a day after he was forced to leave practice because his right arm and leg weren't doing what he was telling them to do.

"I was like, 'This is not normal. This is something I've never felt before,'" Bickell said.

Bickell's wife and two young children accompanied him to the doctor to get the results of the MRI taken a day before, but he ended up going in alone because both kids fell asleep in the car on the ride to the office. His wife came in shortly after Bickell was told of the diagnosis.

"It was quite shocking," Bickell said. "But going into that week, you knew something wasn't right. Everybody knows their own body."

Multiple sclerosis occurs when the immune system attacks a fatty material called myelin, which wraps around nerve fibers and protects them. Nerves are damaged and the brain fails to send signals correctly, which can cause tiredness, blurred vision, numbness, pain, depression and more.

To combat the disease, Bickell is injected once a month with Tysabri, a drug that slows the effects of MS and reduces relapses.

The treatments have worked so well that Bickell has been practicing with the Hurricanes for three weeks, and he hopes to return to game action after the team's bye week, which runs from Feb. 12-16.

"I think I can get back in the lineup sooner than I originally planned," Bickell said. "The treatment is reacting good."

Asked what it will feel like if he gets the green light to play, Bickell added: "It'll feel good. It's been a rough couple of (years). But now I know what the problem was and it's definitely nice to join the Canes and make that push to get in that playoff race because it's so tight over here."

Bickell was referring to the fact that everyone in the Eastern Conference is still in the postseason hunt with about 30-32 games remaining for most teams.

Bickell, whom the Hawks traded to Carolina along with Teuvo Teravainen last June, has played in seven games this season after a 2015-16 campaign in which he suited up just 25 times for coach Joel Quenneville's squad. The 30-year-old will be a free agent on July 1 as the four-year, $16 million deal he signed after the 2013 title season will come to an end.

Bickell said he hopes his career can continue when next September rolls around.

"We'll see how this progresses through the rest of the season," Bickell said. "If everything works out and I can still play, I'm sure I'll be playing longer. … We're taking it a little bit at a time and reacting from there and seeing where this road goes."

A road filled with support from fans, players and coaches alike - all of whom hope Bickell enjoys great future success on and off the ice.

• Follow John's Hawks reports on Twitter @johndietzdh.

The Bryan Bickell file

• Drafted by the Blackhawks in the second round in 2004.

• Had 65 goals and 70 assists in 384 games with the Hawks.

• Added 20 goals and 19 assists in 75 playoff games.

• Best known for tying Game 6 of the 2013 Stanley Cup Final with Boston with 1:16 remaining.

• Along with Teuvo Teravainen, traded to Carolina on June 15, 2016 for two draft picks.