Bret Hedican will officially announce his retirement today, but with one regret:
“The one thing I really am sad about is that I didn’t retire a Hurricane,” Hedican said Tuesday from his home in California. “I really wanted to. I wish it was possible to sign a one-day contract. I’d pay (general manager) Jimmy (Rutherford) to let me sign for a dollar and put the jersey on again.”
Only 369 of Hedican's 1,000-plus NHL games were with the Hurricanes, but that included some of the finest moments of the defenseman's career -- and some of the franchise's finest moments as well, which is no coincidence.
Winning the Stanley Cup obviously tops the list, but here are a few of Hedican's fondest memories with the Hurricanes.
Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals, 2002: "I ate at a restaurant in Carolina and when we got to Toronto I didn't feel good. I ended up with food poisoning, puking all night. I got a couple of bags of IV fluids and ate a bowl of oatmeal and then played 20-some minutes that night and we won to go to the Stanley Cup finals."
At practice during the 2005-06 season: "Halfway through that year, there was a moment in practice over at the RecZone where I had never seen anything so fast and so crisp in all my days of playing the game. I had a smile on my face. Every player was at a level I had never seen before. It was a moment in time where you go, 'Wow, something special is going on here.' To this day, it brings chills to me. The coaches were feeling it, the players were feeling it. (Peter) Laviolette called us in after that practice and told us we looked like a team on a mission to win the Stanley Cup. I remember it like it was yesterday. Playing at that level is what I'll miss. Some nights I just felt like I could skate forever."
Game 3 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals, 2006: "Three defensemen got hurt and I was playing every other shift. I played 30-something minutes that night and it was one of the best games of my career. It was a pivotal game and I played the best when it mattered the most."
Luke has worked for The N&O since 2000. He covered the Carolina Hurricanes and the NHL before becoming a sports columnist in August 2008. A native of Evanston, Ill., he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. He can be reached at 829-8947 or 
Comments
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I liked the occasional nasty side
Thu, 09/17/2009 - 15:12 — MrKnockoffLike when once some younger forward tried to run him into the boards, and he stepped quickly to the side. Then as the kid bounced off the glass hedican forcefully helped him down on his a$$ with a glove to the face. Then he looked down at him, and skated away. Beeyootiful.
JR...Bring Bret Back
Wed, 09/16/2009 - 18:39 — nccaligirlLast season I was fortunate enough to see Bret during practice at the Rec Zone. He has always been my favorite player, Hurricane or Duck. Ever gracious, he walked over to me after practice and we talked for a few minutes. After the game that evening, he was kind enough to walk to the players entrance and speak to the fans gathered there. He handed me his stick and then signed it. Truly my favorite hockey moment ever. My son handed him a couple of cards he hoped to get signed, Bret put them in his pocket and moved on to speak to some of the other fans. Several weeks ago, a letter came, in it were the cards my son had given Bret and a note. He is an exceptional man and I cried this morning when I heard he was retiring. If there is any way that Mr. Rutherford could bring Bret home to Raleigh, the Hurricanes, and the fans, I support it. We were fortunate to have had his talent and leadership for as long as we did and he deserves a home with the Hurricanes forever.
Class Act
Wed, 09/16/2009 - 13:30 — GoShelfBret's a class act and played the game the right way. I've met him a half a dozen times and he was always easy to talk to and always came across as sincere. He was a great embassador for the game and for kids someone worth emulating.
Bret, you will always be
Wed, 09/16/2009 - 13:15 — jejohn8Bret, you will always be considered a family member here in Carolina.
best of luck to you, kristi and the kids.
Love Bret.........
Wed, 09/16/2009 - 12:19 — natnat919I've been a Canes fan for a good while now, and without a doubt Bret was my favorite player. In addition to being a great hockey player, he's one of the most gracious, humble, and classiest guys I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.
My favorite memory: I would see Bret from time to time at practices or at the warmups before the games, and he would always smile at me. At one autograph session, he signed something and asked my name so he could personalize it. A couple of months later, I saw him at Casino Night. I asked "Do you remember me"? And he had this odd look on his face and said "OF COURSE I REMEMBER YOU, it really hurts my feelings that you would think that I don't remember you!! You're my Number 1 fan!". And he called me by name..... meant the world to me that he even remembered my name.
Bret
Wed, 09/16/2009 - 09:00 — louis12580Bret was a very intense person on the ice, and a gentleman off. What happened between him and Kevyn was regrettable, but that in no way diminishes what he did for the team or the community. I would see him every so often and a favorite eatery and would have some very pleasant conversations with him. I remember I saw Bret one time after a pre-season game against the Blue Jackets that was a rough game with some of the Blue Jackets trying to fight at every occasion and he was quite angry about that. He found their actions to be stupid and totally unnecessary. We all wish Bret health and happiness in his post playing days and maybe we'll see him around the rink for a game or two.
Corvo
Wed, 09/16/2009 - 08:58 — Biff_BeersCoach Mo seems to be handling Joe Corvo in much the same way he handled Hedican. Just because he can skate, JR and Lavi brought him to Raleigh as a "puck-moving defenseman" which to me sounded like they wanted him to score a point per game and play defense. His offensive role is much diminished under Coach Mo. He can still score at will on a 5-on-3, though. And remember the last time OV came to town? It was like Corvo and OV were wearing the same skates.
Hedican's farewell
Wed, 09/16/2009 - 08:44 — JRs_FaultOne of my memories from the scene on the ice after the bitter loss to Florida at the end of the 07-08 season was Brett's farewell lap prior to the 'shirts off their back' ceremony. It was clear at that point, he knew it would be his last game as a Hurricane, if not in the NHL.
It was great to watch him skate... all the best in his next endeavors... (The Hedican's could put together quite a skating school, couldn't they?)
Same game
Wed, 09/16/2009 - 12:33 — beer210One of my favorites was earlier during that same game, he chased down a sure goal into an empty net from a loonngg ways away - getting to the puck at the last moment. He didn't want to go out like that!
i too
Wed, 09/16/2009 - 08:32 — esteban1949remember that bret ran down OV like he did...class act all the way...and hey why don't all of us fans each chip in a buck and have JR donate it to the cane's Kids & Community charity, so the bret can come and be a cane for a day...and then "offically retire"...and i have had to honor to meet his wife albeit from a distance and she like bret are very classy,warm and just plain folks...I too hope that they can or are able to come home to carolina...sigh but we the fans can only dream huh ??
Thanks Luke...great article
Go Canes !!
He could really skate!
Wed, 09/16/2009 - 08:21 — Biff_BeersMy favorite Bret Hedican memory was watching him chase down OV from behind on a breakaway. He was the fastest guy on the ice that night. I wonder what his plans are now. If he is going to settle in Raleigh, he might still have a role with the team.
Relocated
Wed, 09/16/2009 - 08:38 — JRs_FaultI believe the Hedican family relocated to No.Cal. last year to be closer to Kristi's family. I was expecting him to land in San Jose last season, but they loaded up with other veteran D FA's (and trade for Boyle).... hence his mid-season signing in Anaheim.
A Class Act!
Wed, 09/16/2009 - 08:08 — fizzbeeI too am sorry he cannot retire a Hurricane. I always felt he was a class act in every respect and I will be forever thankful for his contribution to that wonderful 05-06 season.
Bret, I wish you and Kristi nothing but the best in your lives.