| John MacLean, his wife Adrienne and children J.C. (John Carter) and Kyle, pose with the Stanley Cup at their Montclair, New Jersey home. (Friday, September 12) The retirement of a professional athlete is a delicate balancing act - they realize all too well that it has to happen one day, but hold on dearly as long as possible, not wanting to let go of the dream that has consumed virtually every waking moment (and many moments while asleep, too) from the time they were young boys. And then, before anyone is prepared, the inevitable occurs. Sometimes, an injury plays a role in making the decision - if your body won't allow you to compete, then you have to say goodbye. Although there was a special jumping area and a temporary tattoo artist for the kids, the most popular activity for the children at John MacLean's party was drinking soda out of the Stanley Cup. At other times, the competitive fire isn't burning as intensely as it once did. Maybe priorities have changed. And then, sadly, there are times when age catches up and the speed, the reflexes and the shot that were once deemed so dominating, candidly, just aren't anymore. Last Sunday, the Stanley Cup spent the day with the Devils' assistant coach, John MacLean. MacLean retired June 7, 2002, and if ever there was a player with drive and determination, it was him. John is the all-time leading scorer for the Devils. Through nineteen NHL seasons, fourteen of which were spent in New Jersey, John MacLean played 1,194 games, scoring 413 goals and adding 429 assists for 842 career points. Consistency was a key for MacLean who reached the twenty-goal mark eleven times through his illustrious career. | |
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