from Pat LaFontaine at NHL.com,

Hockey has given me so much, but now it's about giving back. I am part of the development efforts by the NHL and NHLPA to grow the game, and every day I have the honor of speaking with people at all levels of the sport. What excites me most about these conversations is the consistency with which people talk about what they love about the game. They appreciate the speed, skill and artistry the sport demands athletically; but, more often, they talk about the people and values that embody the game. As we share the Declaration of Principles with the global hockey community, I wanted to share what the game has meant to me.

Many people who follow the game might know my hockey story.

The highlights -- the goals, the assists, the wins, the near misses, the injuries and triumphant returns -- are all there, not only in hockey fans' memories, but in articles and videos housed across the internet.

Those, though, are merely snapshots of my life in hockey.

Life, in or out of hockey, is all about crossroads. The decisions we make -- or are made for us -- end up defining who we become and the story we write.

Hockey, and its values and lessons, started at home early from my mom and dad. Hockey became a sport I loved to play when I was a young boy. I've been very fortunate to have the game reinforce those values many times over throughout my life.

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