Bryan Bickell

Bryan Bickell (born March 9, 1986) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who played for the Chicago Blackhawks and the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He won the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013 and 2015, and played in four early playoff games during the team's run to the 2010 Stanley Cup championship. Bickell spent nearly 10 years with the Blackhawks organization before being traded to the Hurricanes before the 2016-17 season. He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis later that year and announced he will retire from playing hockey at the end of the season.Early life 
Bryan Bickell was born to Bill and Anne Bickell. He was raised in Orono, Ontario with an older sister, Ashley. In addition to hockey, Bickell was also interested in playing baseball during his youth. He was an outfielder and pitcher for the Kendal Royals, where he was scouted by the New York Yankees. Bickell ultimately choose to focus his career on hockey, and traveled to Ottawa to play for the Ottawa 67's. Bickell had several jobs prior to becoming a full-time hockey player. He worked as a construction worker and as a clubhouse assistant to the Ottawa Senators, where he cleaned laundry and performed custodian duties.
==Playing career==
===Amateur career===
Bickell grew up playing minor hockey in his hometown of Orono, Ontario for the Leafs rep program before playing AAA for the Central Ontario Wolves organisation.
For his Bantam season, Bickell was moved to the Toronto Red Wings of the GTHL for one season before being drafted in the 2nd round (36th overall) in the 2002 OHL Priority Selection by the Ottawa 67's. Bickell was a member of the Bantam All-Ontario champions Toronto Red Wings with future Chicago Blackhawk teammate Dave Bolland.
===Professional career===
The Blackhawks drafted Bickell in the second round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft with the 41st overall pick. After signing a three-year entry-level contract in 2006, Bickell left the Ontario Hockey League to play for the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League (AHL) during the 2006–07 season. Bickell later made his NHL debut on April 5, 2007, where he scored his goal against the Detroit Red Wings.
Bickell spent the majority of the next three seasons playing in the AHL. The Blackhawks recalled him for the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs. Bickell appeared in four post-season games with one assist and a plus-3 rating. Bickell and the Blackhawks defeated the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals. Bickell received a ring from the Blackhawks, but his name was not inscribed on the Cup.
 
Bickell became a mainstay on the Blackhawks during the 2010–11 season. In his first full year in the NHL, Bickell recorded a career-high 17 goals and 20 assists in 78 appearances. His offensive production dropped during the 2011–12 campaign, where he only tallied nine goals and 15 assists.
Bickell was highly productive during the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs. He scored nine goals and eight assists during the post-season. He recorded the game-tying goal during Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final. The Blackhawks later scored the go-ahead goal 17 seconds later to win the Stanley Cup. The Blackhawks awarded Bickell's strong post-season performance with a four-year, $16 million contract.
Bickell tallied 14 goals and 14 assists during the regular season while appearing in 80 regular season games in the 2014-15 NHL season. His production declined in the postseason, where he recorded only five assists. Bickell was scratched from the team’s lineup for two games of the 2015 Stanley Cup Finals due to health-related issues. The Blackhawks defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games, giving Bickell his third Stanley Cup.
The Blackhawks unsuccessfully attempted to trade Bickell prior to the 2015–16 NHL season. The team initially waived Bickell but reinserted him into their roster as the season started. Bickell was unable to consistently perform due to health-related issues and spent much of the season with the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League. Bickell skated in 25 games for the Blackhawks and recorded two assists. He played in 47 contests for the IceHogs where he scored 15 goals and 16 assists.
During the following off-season, Bickell's $4-million salary cap-hit posed a serious problem to the Blackhawks, who were struggling to stay below the NHL's salary cap. The Blackhawks eventually traded Bickell along with Teuvo Teräväinen to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a 2016 second-round pick (Artur Kayumov) and a 2017 third-round pick. The Hurricanes also agreed to accept Bickell's cap-hit and remaining contract. Bickell scored one goal in seven games for the Hurricanes, before experiencing health issues again. The Hurricanes announced that Bickell had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and placed him on injured reserve on November 12. 
Bickell began practicing with the Hurricanes again in January 2017. The Hurricanes assigned him to the Charlotte Checkers for conditioning on February 24.Bickell returned to the Hurricanes on April 5 and skated in his first NHL game since leaving for MS treatment in November. Bickell played the final game of his career on April 9, 2017, scoring a goal in the shootout in the Hurricanes' 4-3 win against the Flyers.
===Retirement===
Bickell announced his retirement on April 8, 2017. His final game was on April 9 against the Philadelphia Flyers.
==Health issues==
Bickell began experiencing symptoms of vertigo that forced him to miss two games during the 2015 Stanley Cup Finals. He initially believed the ailment was caused by an infected tooth. Bickell's agent later commented that Bickell was suffering from vestibular issues, which hindered his performance during the 2015-16 season. In November 2016, Bickell began experiencing an unexplained pain in his shoulder and leg that caused him to miss multiple games. Doctors later diagnosed Bickell with multiple sclerosis. Bickell commented on his health by stating, "Since the 2015 playoffs, I've been struggling to understand what was going on with my body. Again during the past few weeks, it felt like something wasn't right." Ron Francis, the Hurricanes' general manager, stated that Bickell would take an indefinite amount of time off from hockey to receive treatment for his condition. While Bickell ultimately returned to Hurricanes towards the end of the 2016–17 season, he announced he would retire from playing hockey to focus on his MS treatment.
==Personal life==
On August 3, 2013, Bickell married his longtime girlfriend, Amanda Caskenette. They have two daughters, Kinslee and Makayla. Bickell and his wife established the "Bryan & Amanda Bickell Foundation", which helps rescue abused pitbulls.
==Career statistics==
  	  	  	 	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	 	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM
2000–01 	Toronto Red Wings 	GTHL 	 	65 	78 	62 	140 	20 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2001–02 	Toronto Red Wings 	GTHL 	 	65 	31 	41 	72 	76 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2002–03 	Ottawa 67's 	OHL 	 	50 	7 	10 	17 	4 	 	20 	5 	3 	8 	12
2003–04 	Ottawa 67's 	OHL 	 	59 	20 	16 	36 	76 	 	7 	3 	0 	3 	11
2004–05 	Ottawa 67's 	OHL 	 	66 	22 	32 	54 	95 	 	21 	5 	12 	17 	32
2005–06 	Ottawa 67's 	OHL 	 	41 	28 	22 	50 	41 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2005–06 	Windsor Spitfires 	OHL 	 	26 	17 	16 	33 	19 	 	7 	5 	5 	10 	10
2006–07 	Norfolk Admirals 	AHL 	 	48 	10 	15 	25 	66 	 	2 	0 	0 	0 	0
2006–07 	Chicago Blackhawks 	NHL 	 	3 	2 	0 	2 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2007–08 	Rockford IceHogs 	AHL 	 	73 	19 	20 	39 	52 	 	12 	2 	3 	5 	11
2007–08 	Chicago Blackhawks 	NHL 	 	4 	0 	0 	0 	2 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2008–09 	Rockford IceHogs 	AHL 	 	42 	6 	8 	14 	60 	 	4 	0 	2 	2 	4
2009–10 	Chicago Blackhawks 	NHL 	 	16 	3 	1 	4 	5 	 	4 	0 	1 	1 	2
2009–10 	Rockford IceHogs 	AHL 	 	65 	16 	15 	31 	58 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2010–11 	Chicago Blackhawks 	NHL 	 	78 	17 	20 	37 	40 	 	5 	2 	2 	4 	0
2011–12 	Chicago Blackhawks 	NHL 	 	71 	9 	15 	24 	48 	 	6 	2 	0 	2 	4
2012–13 	Orli Znojmo 	EBEL 	 	28 	9 	18 	27 	14 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2012–13 	Chicago Blackhawks 	NHL 	 	48 	9 	14 	23 	25 	 	23 	9 	8 	17 	14
2013–14 	Chicago Blackhawks 	NHL 	 	59 	11 	4 	15 	28 	 	19 	7 	3 	10 	8
2014–15 	Chicago Blackhawks 	NHL 	 	80 	14 	14 	28 	38 	 	18 	0 	5 	5 	14
2015–16 	Chicago Blackhawks 	NHL 	 	25 	0 	2 	2 	2 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2015–16 	Rockford IceHogs 	AHL 	 	47 	15 	16 	31 	23 	 	3 	0 	1 	1 	2
2016-17 	Charlotte Checkers 	AHL 	 	10 	1 	3 	4 	4 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2016-17 	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL 	 	11 	1 	0 	1 	4 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals	 	395 	66 	70 	136 	192 	 	75 	20 	19 	39 	42
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==Awards and honours==
Awards 	Year
NHL 	NHL
Stanley Cup (Chicago Blackhawks)	2013, 2015
==References==
==External links==
*Bryan Bickell's stats on hockeydb
Category:Born in 1986
Category:Canadian ice hockey players
Category:Chicago Blackhawks draft picks
Category:Chicago Blackhawks players
Category:Norfolk Admirals players
Category:Ottawa 67's alumni
Category:Rockford IceHogs (AHL) players
Category:Stanley Cup champions
Category:Windsor Spitfires alumni
Category:Charlotte Checkers (2010–) players
Category:Carolina Hurricanes players
Category:Retired in 2017