32 THOUGHTS

1. A lot more in the blog about COVID, the Olympics, cancellations — all the stuff you really love to read about. But first, a nicer story. Keltie Jeri-Leon finished his 250-game WHL career last season, an adventure through Tri-City, Kamloops, Lethbridge and Seattle. “I was the lone 20-year-old for 23 days (in Seattle),” he laughed. “Everyone else was so young, we had 11 rookies.” Undrafted, Jeri-Leon signed with ECHL Maine, and received a call-up to AHL Providence when the Bruins were hit with an outbreak. He has three goals in 19 games in Maine, and one in two games for Providence. “I’m loving it. Nothing better in the world than getting paid to play the game you love.” When Boston’s Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand were added to protocol, Jeri-Leon received word he’d be going back to Providence from Maine. He played for the Mariners Dec. 15 in Trois-Rivieres, before a PCR test indicated Jeri-Leon, although asymptomatic, was positive. That ended the call-up opportunity. He was isolated in the team’s Quebec hotel while Maine played twice more before its Christmas break.

2. Jeri-Leon was supposed to go home to Kelowna for the break, but putting him on a plane was not an option. Neither was coming back on the team bus. “Everybody (on the bus) was negative and going home for the holidays,” said Maine coach Ben Guite. “It was not safe and not right.” The organization did not want Jeri-Leon stuck in the hotel. They wanted him in his apartment where he could walk around, open windows and cook his own meals. They tried to get a rental car so he could drive back to Maine, but the companies would not allow the vehicle to cross the Canada-US border. Driving to his parents was not feasible, because by the time he made it from Quebec to British Columbia, the holiday would be over. “I’d also be sleeping at rest stops, so not to infect anyone,” he said. The team looked into a car service. “The prices were astronomical., but we thought, ‘Okay, we will do whatever we have to do,’” Guite said. “None of the drivers would agree to do it. It’s Christmas, we understand.” So, 20 minutes before puck drop of the Mariners’ final game in Trois-Rivieres on Dec. 18, the coach phoned Jeri-Leon to explain the plan.

3. “I didn’t want him left there,” Guite said. “I knew if it was me, I’d lose my mind. I thought, ‘I’m the best person to do it.’” The bus departed after Saturday’s 5-2 loss to the Lions. The Mariners got in during the night (it’s about a five-and-half-hour drive). Double-vaccinated, Guite owns an SUV with a third row of seats. With the assistance of the team’s training staff, he made sure to have the proper masks, goggles and shields. He bought a clear shower curtain to put behind the front row.

At 9 am, he began the drive back to Trois-Rivieres. “My biggest concern was explaining this getup to the border guards,” he laughed. Upon arrival, Jeri-Leon climbed into the last row. The windows were opened “about an inch to an inch-and-a-half, and we cranked the heat,” Guite said. They talked for a few minutes before settling to their own routines. Jeri-Leon watched Queen’s Gambit (an excellent choice), while Guite made a few calls and listened to podcasts.

Maine Mariners coach Ben Guite.

Is the coach a good driver? “Very, very good,” the winger laughed. After dropping off his player, Guite was home before midnight. Jeri-Leon said team ownership and the Professional Hockey Players’ Association (which represents AHL and ECHLers) did everything possible to help, but roadblocks arose everywhere. “I’m still quite shocked by (what Guite did), and my parents are incredibly appreciative,” Jeri-Leon said. “How good of a coach he is to us, how he treats us like he’d want his kids to be treated, I am very, very thankful. Being alone in the hotel would have been very hard.” You know you can’t talk back anymore when he says you don’t backcheck hard enough, right? “I won’t say anything back,” he laughed. An excellent gesture by Guite. Beyond the call of duty.

Keltie Jeri-Leon’s view in Ben Guite’s car on the drive home.

4. Guite had 19 goals and 45 points in 175 NHL games for Boston, Colorado and Nashville from 2005-06 to 2009-10. His lone playoff score was shorthanded in a 2-1 Avalanche win over Minnesota in 2008. “I never got to play much with Joe Sakic because he was a first-liner and I was a fourth-liner. But I tell everyone I did score two goals in three shifts with him.” Guite killed penalties with the Hall-of-Famer. “I was on the opposite side of where Minnesota tried to enter our zone. I know (Sakic). He is going to strip the puck, and I was cheating. I knew he’d see me and put it on my tape.” Minnesota’s goalie was Niklas Backstrom, and Guite laughed as he relayed the scouting report from Jeff Hackett, then coaching Colorado’s netminders. “He told us that if you fake a shot, (Backstrom) would put his glove down. I tried to go high and put it right in his glove. It trickled in anyways.” Great story.