The 37-year-old inspired Smashville with his leadership, grit and poise on and off the ice, and his return is huge for the team and NHL fans—none of whom saw this coming, not even his close friends.
"When Mike called to tell me he was going back, I said, 'Yeah right, they don't need an old man like you,'" his buddy Patrick McAuley tells PTBOCanada. "I thought he was trying to be funny. Once I was convinced he wasn't joking, I was really excited for him. He's a great example for people that hard work and dedication pays off."
The Preds tweeted out the news Wednesday (January 31st)...