Last move of Timonen’s career: Skating with Cup
After his team's 2-0, title-clinching win over Tampa Bay on Monday night, Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews could have handed the Stanley Cup to one his many longtime teammates. Instead, in a classy move, he gave the famous trophy to a defenseman who had played for Chicago for all of four months.
Kimmo Timonen, 40, had waited his whole life for that moment. Timonen, the ex-Flyer whom Chicago acquired just before the trade deadline, raised the Cup triumphantly and skated around the ice while the red-clad Blackhawks fans let out a roar that lived up to the United Center's nickname: Madhouse on Madison.
For Timonen, who missed most of the season because of blood clots, it was the perfect way to end a superb 16-year career. "I leave this game as a Stanley Cup champion," he told reporters. "I can't ask for anything more than that."
"It's a great moment. I was very proud of him, especially coming here," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. "Wanted to come here. Wanted to end his career with a chance to win the Cup. Very fitting. . . . Not too many guys get to play their last game hoisting the Cup."
Timonen did not play in the first three games of the Finals and was used sparingly in the last three games - all wins.
Before skating around with the Cup, Timonen and his former longtime defensive partner with the Flyers, Tampa Bay's Braydon Coburn, embraced and had an emotional conversation during the handshake line.
A short time later, Timonen hugged his family members - his wife, Johanna, and their three children, Sam, Ella and Ava - on the ice.
Timonen will head to his native Finland and then he and his family will return to live in Haddonfield.
"This was the dream," said a teary-eyed Timonen, who plans to talk to Flyers general manager Ron Hextall about a job in the organization. ". . . This game gave me a lot, but I gave a lot to this game."
Breakaways
With Tampa Bay's loss, the Flyers will get its 29th pick in the first round of the NHL draft, thanks to the Coburn trade. The Flyers also have the No. 7 overall pick on June 26. . . . Former Flyer Scott Hartnell tweeted congratulations to his best friend, Timonen: "Never been more happy for anyone in my life!!!"
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