Humbly, Elias ready to join list of greats
Jan 19, 2006
Can one man make a difference in a team sport?
Well, the answer is yes if the name is Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Joe Sakic or Peter Forsberg.
But now you can add a new name to that list -- and that name is Patrik Elias.
Need some convincing? Here we go:
Since Elias has returned, the Devils haven't lost a game heading into their matchup at Nashville Thursday night. His centerman, Scott Gomez, has set a new personal scoring streak. His winger, Brian Gionta, has accelerated an already-impressive march toward becoming the first Devil ever to score 50-plus goals. A once-dismal power play is now snapping along at over a goal-a-game.
And defensively, Martin Brodeur and the Devils registered three shutouts in five games.
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Well, you can quickly get the picture of just impactful Patrik's return has been to his teammates.
Now for any hockey player to be included with any of the true greats of the game, that player's personality has to be as inspiring as his play on the ice. In that regard, Elias is also special.
Patrik is truly a hybrid of the North American mentality with a European skill. He has an internal flame burning inside him that drives him to succeed, to embrace pressure, to both challenge and motivate his teammates, and to play a snarly, as well as a more skilled game.
His messages are insightful, fiery and funny all in the same paragraph. He has the ability to give his teammates a sense of confidence with that message in the locker room as well as his voracious talent on the ice.
But what impresses me is this: Patrik is gifted and he knows it. He has an opportunity to take his place alongside some of the NHL greats -- and he wants to. He can join Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer and Brodeur among the most talented leaders ever to wear a Devils uniform, and that's important to him. And because of his lengthy illness, he clearly understands that not only is he a gift to hockey, but playing hockey is a very special gift to him, and that motivates him.
Finally, Patrik is a well-rounded professional athlete. His play and his personality makes you want to pull for him, and for him to do well. Patrik senses both the bigness of his talent, and the fact that even larger than that is the game itself.
But now, speaking just as a fan, what I admire the most about Patrik is what he doesn't understand; he doesn't understand greed, self-centeredness, wasting your God-given talent and thinking the entire world revolves around him. Being a great teammate is as important to Elias as being a great talent.
No, it's not just coincidence that one of the most dramatically positive turnarounds in Devils history was ignited by one man ... No. 26, Patrik Elias.
