By Stefan Kubus –
“#redwingsfamily” and “#thisoneforyoudad.”
Two hashtag phrases that cannot even begin to define what Tomas Tatar’s last couple of weeks have been like, but create a vision of how he’s been coping with a monumental tragedy in his life.
In a tweet that came the day following his Red Wings’ 3-1 victory in Los Angeles on Jan. 11, the 23-year-old Tatar (@Trto90) used those hashtags to help thank everyone for being so supportive of he and his family during their time of mourning. Tatar’s father, Jan, passed away in Slovakia just two days prior to that game at the Staples Center – one where Tatar tallied an assist on Riley Sheahan’s first NHL goal before he, himself, scored the game-winning goal. Immediately after potting his go-ahead goal, Tatar took his glove off, looked up and pointed to the sky to honor his father in what truly was an emotional goal celebration.
Following the game in Los Angeles, Tatar – the Red Wings’ second-round, 60th-overall draft choice in 2009 – traveled back to his native Slovakia for the funeral, missing last Thursday’s 1-0 loss to the Rangers in New York.
But exactly one week after Detroit’s first meeting with L.A., Tatar was back in action and once again brought a strong performance against the Western Conference powerhouse Kings. This time, he sealed a shootout win on home ice at Joe Louis Arena. And like the previous game, Tatar once again saluted his father after another huge goal for his team.
Following the game, Tatar said that it was the “Red Wings family” and the game of hockey that has helped him cope with his loss.
“This is huge for me. I’m not sure what I would do if I didn’t play hockey. This kind of stuff makes you think about different stuff than what happened. I think hockey for me right now is really helpful.
“Guys try to get me off it. When I’m with somebody, I’m not really thinking of stuff like that; I’m focused more on hockey and other stuff. There’s a time for that at home when I talk to my family. As soon as I get to the rink, I try to focus just on hockey.”
While it’s a terrible tragedy he has had to deal with, Tatar’s teammates have been left in awe of how he’s carried on and continued his effective play on the ice in a Red Wings sweater.
“What he’s gone through, it’s amazing how strong he is,” defenseman Niklas Kronwall said following Saturday’s game. “It really is impressive. He goes out there and lays his heart on the line every night, plays really hard. I know he was really tired after flying back and forth, but played another really, really good game for us.”
In just his first full NHL season, the Sochi-bound Slovakian winger has made a strong, positive impact already amongst his peers with his persistent work ethic.
“He’s a great kid,” goaltender Jimmy Howard said. “He comes to the rink every single day, he works hard. He’s got a constant smile on his face. He’s a very likable guy, very great teammate here that we enjoy having around.”
Even the coaching staff has been impressed with him.
“Tats is just a good player and he’s got tons of confidence,” said head coach Mike Babcock. “To me, he’s just a guy you want to have with the puck and you want him out there.”
With Tatar being a “very great teammate” with “tons of confidence” and a “constant smile on his face,” it’s evident the Red Wings are sold on having not only a foundational player for the future on the ice, but also an equally impactful one off the ice, as well.