There have been many boisterous cheers throughout 23 years at the United Center but few rank up there with this one. Bryan Bickell received a well-deserved “One More Shift” tribute from the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night and the fans responded, loudly.
Bickell was a fan favorite through his nine years wearing a Blackhawks sweater and won three Stanley Cups with the organization. He will always live on in Blackhawks lore as the guy who tied game six of the 2013 Stanley Cup Final with the first of the two “17 Seconds” goals.
His battle with Multiple Sclerosis has been well-documented since 2016 but he returned to play for the Carolina Hurricanes in April of 2017. Bickell received many great gestures from the Hurricanes after he announced he would retire following the season but Chicago was his rightful place.
That’s why this week the Blackhawks signed Bickell to one-day contract to retire with the team and honored him with “One More Shift” on opening night. You can see in the video and from the fan’s reactions that he was a special person.
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Absolutely the best way to start the first game of the year. pic.twitter.com/8WjvAK4uXe
— NBC Sports Chicago (@NBCSChicago) October 6, 2017
