{"id":13645,"date":"2024-12-13T06:45:07","date_gmt":"2024-12-13T13:45:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/?p=13645"},"modified":"2024-12-13T06:45:09","modified_gmt":"2024-12-13T13:45:09","slug":"how-an-ethnic-ukrainian-from-edmonton-won-the-stanley-cup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/eternal-how-an-ethnic-ukrainian-from-edmonton-won-the-stanley-cup","title":{"rendered":"How an Ethnic Ukrainian from Edmonton Won the Stanley Cup"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s 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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today, we\u2019re going to talk about a hockey player who achieved what all hockey players around the world aspire to\u2014winning the Stanley Cup. However, a terrible injury forced this ethnic Ukrainian to end his NHL career prematurely. We\u2019ll get to that part of the story shortly. More on <a href=\"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/\">iedmonton.net<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a38fa34702de\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a38fa34702de\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/eternal-how-an-ethnic-ukrainian-from-edmonton-won-the-stanley-cup\/#Johnny_Boychuk\" >Johnny Boychuk<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/eternal-how-an-ethnic-ukrainian-from-edmonton-won-the-stanley-cup\/#NHL_and_Beyond\" >NHL and Beyond<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/eternal-how-an-ethnic-ukrainian-from-edmonton-won-the-stanley-cup\/#The_Injury_That_Ended_It_All\" >The Injury That Ended It All<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/eternal-how-an-ethnic-ukrainian-from-edmonton-won-the-stanley-cup\/#A_Twist_of_Fate\" >A Twist of Fate<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Johnny_Boychuk\"><\/span>Johnny Boychuk<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"393\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.iedmonton.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2024\/12\/17092512\/1-4.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13646\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.iedmonton.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2024\/12\/17092512\/1-4.png 700w, https:\/\/cdn.iedmonton.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2024\/12\/17092512\/1-4-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.iedmonton.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2024\/12\/17092512\/1-4-696x391.png 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Curiously, in various sources, the surname of our hero is written as Boychak, but that\u2019s a story for another time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The athlete was born in Edmonton on January 19, 1984, to a family of Ukrainian heritage, though his parents\u2019 names, John and Audrey, might not immediately evoke a connection to Ukraine. Regardless, Johnny\u2019s citizenship is proudly Canadian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As with most hockey players in North America, a pivotal moment in Johnny\u2019s career was the NHL Draft. As a result of this process, one of the NHL\u2019s 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\u2019s 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\u2019s hockey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"NHL_and_Beyond\"><\/span>NHL and Beyond<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"720\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.iedmonton.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2024\/12\/17092511\/2-2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13649\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.iedmonton.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2024\/12\/17092511\/2-2.png 720w, https:\/\/cdn.iedmonton.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2024\/12\/17092511\/2-2-300x188.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.iedmonton.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2024\/12\/17092511\/2-2-696x435.png 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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\u2014he won the Stanley Cup. That season, he appeared in 77 games and scored five goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-4fc3f8e1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Among the highlights of Johnny\u2019s 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\u2019t given out lightly. It recognizes the league\u2019s best defenseman, and the fact that Johnny received it speaks volumes about his skill and performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-4fc3f8e1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:100%\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Injury_That_Ended_It_All\"><\/span>The Injury That Ended It All<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Twist_of_Fate\"><\/span>A Twist of Fate<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over the course of his career, the Edmonton native played an astounding 725 professional hockey games. This number alone is a testament to Johnny\u2019s talent and professionalism.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s 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\u2019s mayor William Hawrelak, writer Myrna Kostash, and many others. Of course, these individuals represent just a small [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":518,"featured_media":13652,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4820],"tags":[6282,6283,6286,6258,6285,6280,6278,6281,6232,6279,6287,6226,6277,6284,6233],"moimportance":[32,35],"motype":[4825],"moformat":[88],"class_list":["post-13645","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sporty","tag-boston-bruins","tag-colorado-avalanche","tag-eddie-shore-award","tag-edmonton-athletes","tag-edmonton-hockey-player","tag-johnny-boychuk","tag-new-york-islanders","tag-nhl-career","tag-nhl-defenseman","tag-nhl-retirement","tag-professional-hockey","tag-stanley-cup-champion","tag-stanley-cup-winner","tag-ukrainian-diaspora","tag-ukrainian-heritage","moimportance-golovna-novyna","moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatory","motype-eternal","moformat-copywriting"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13645","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/518"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13645"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13645\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13655,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13645\/revisions\/13655"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13652"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13645"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13645"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13645"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=13645"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=13645"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=13645"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}