Blackhawks give head trainer new personal watercraft for 2,500th game
The Blackhawks surprised Mike Gapski on Monday by giving their head trainer a personal watercraft in honor of working 2,500 NHL games with the franchise.
As the players started entering the ice for practice at Fifth Third Arena, two staffers wheeled the watercraft out to center ice. Gapski, who was hired by his hometown team in 1987, was then called out and received a resounding round of stick taps from the entire team.
Senior vice president of hockey operations Al MacIsaac presided over the small ceremony. Gapski's 2,500th game came Thursday in Arizona.
"Time goes by so fast," defenseman Duncan Keith said. "I was drafted here when I was 18 years old and I remember Gapper at my first prospect camp. It's been a lot of the same guys here. We've got a great training staff and Gapper's the head guy in that regard. They do a great job.
"We're lucky to have a guy like that. He keeps it loose and it brightens your day up when you get to see him. (We) talk a lot over the years and get to know each other and it's been a lot of fun with him."
Gapski graduated from St. Rita's High School and received his undergraduate degree in physical education with honors from UIC in 1982. He was the Flames' assistant athletic trainer for three years, then became their head athletic trainer before joining the Hawks.
He served as the head athletic trainer during the 1991 and 2003 All-Star Games and for Team Canada at the 1991 Canada Cup.
Injury update:
Jeremy Colliton said forward Drake Caggiula is "still not fully recovered" from his concussion. Caggiula (3 goals, assist) has been practicing but has not played since Nov. 10.
Alex DeBrincat (flu-like symptoms) and Dominik Kubalik (maintenance day) did not practice.
Puck goes poof:
Robin Lehner did his best Houdini impression at the end of the Hawks' 30-minute practice Monday.
As Patrick Kane insisted his team scored a goal during the 3-on-3 scrimmage, Lehner skated out of the goal crease and reached deep into the pads of his right leg.
A second later, the Hawks' goalie pulled the puck out and triumphantly flung it to the boards. His teammates on the bench unleashed a loud roar of approval, and Lehner's squad then scored on their next trip down the ice.