Bryan Bickell knew his former teammate was up for the game's biggest individual honor on Wednesday, but he hadn't heard the news yet. He was at his cottage, unplugged from the rest of the world.
"That's awesome," Bickell said after hearing the news from NBC Sports Chicago over the phone. The '17 Seconds' star went on to say why Hossa was the perfect teammate who did his job without needing extra attention, just like others who played with the fresh Hall of Famer.
Then, Bickell recounted a remarkable experience he had with Hossa before the two were members of the Blackhawks.