It’s no surprise that our city is one of the places with a significant Ukrainian diaspora. Historically, many individuals connected to Ukraine have inscribed their names into the history of our already remarkable city. Consider, for example, Edmonton’s mayor William Hawrelak, writer Myrna Kostash, and many others. Of course, these individuals represent just a small fraction of the long list of Edmonton natives with Ukrainian roots.
Today, we’re going to talk about a hockey player who achieved what all hockey players around the world aspire to—winning the Stanley Cup. However, a terrible injury forced this ethnic Ukrainian to end his NHL career prematurely. We’ll get to that part of the story shortly. More on iedmonton.net.
Johnny Boychuk
Curiously, in various sources, the surname of our hero is written as Boychak, but that’s a story for another time.
The athlete was born in Edmonton on January 19, 1984, to a family of Ukrainian heritage, though his parents’ names, John and Audrey, might not immediately evoke a connection to Ukraine. Regardless, Johnny’s citizenship is proudly Canadian.
As with most hockey players in North America, a pivotal moment in Johnny’s career was the NHL Draft. As a result of this process, one of the NHL’s most prestigious clubs, the Colorado Avalanche, took an interest in our local hero. While Johnny awaited his turn after being selected as the 61st pick, he played from 2000 to 2003 with Alberta’s Calgary Hitmen. This means his first significant steps in hockey were made close to home. The next chapter in his career, albeit brief, was with another Canadian team, the Moose Jaw Warriors, where he played for one season. Although these teams were junior and semi-professional, they offered Johnny valuable early experience in men’s hockey.
NHL and Beyond
From 2004 to 2014, Johnny changed teams several times, playing for seven clubs in the United States, some of which were permanent NHL participants. Among them was the Colorado Avalanche, the team that had drafted him in 2002 with high expectations. Other NHL teams that Johnny played for during his decade-long career include the Boston Bruins and the New York Islanders.
For Johnny and for Edmonton, 2011 was a particularly memorable year in his career. While wearing the black and gold colors of the Massachusetts-based Boston Bruins, Johnny achieved what thousands of hockey players around the world dream of—he won the Stanley Cup. That season, he appeared in 77 games and scored five goals.
Among the highlights of Johnny’s career is an event that occurred in 2009 during his time with the Boston Bruins, a team he played for over six seasons, albeit with some interruptions. That year, Johnny won the annual Eddie Shore Award. Although this award is part of the American Hockey League (AHL) rather than the NHL, it is still a prestigious honor that isn’t given out lightly. It recognizes the league’s best defenseman, and the fact that Johnny received it speaks volumes about his skill and performance.
The Injury That Ended It All
As everyone knows, hockey is a game for tough individuals, and physical contact with opponents is an integral part of the sport. However, an incident involving Johnny while playing for the New York Islanders left even the most hardened fans wincing in horror. During a Stanley Cup playoff game against his former team, the Colorado Avalanche, an opposing player, falling to the ice, accidentally slashed Johnny’s eye with a skate blade. The injury was so severe that doctors had to apply 90 stitches around the eye. Shortly thereafter, Johnny announced his retirement, likely due to this traumatic event.
A Twist of Fate
It’s ironic that the team that had taken a chance on Johnny during the 2002 NHL Draft turned out to be the same team against which he played his final NHL game.
Over the course of his career, the Edmonton native played an astounding 725 professional hockey games. This number alone is a testament to Johnny’s talent and professionalism.