from Alex Prewitt of Sports Illustrated,

“Alex, sit your ass right there and start asking questions.”

The directive arrives from the training table where Ken Hitchcock lies flat on his back, white hair against the headrest, sneakers dangling off the edge. It’s early last Wednesday, three hours until the Dallas Stars’ morning skate in Brooklyn, and the visiting area at Barclays Center is beginning to stir. Equipment managers hang jerseys across the hall. Hitchcock’s assistants cut video in the coaches room. The ice machine grumbles. Massage therapist Dan Garcia enters.

“Come on, big Dan,” says Hitchcock. “We’re going to multitask.”

My ass finds a stool.

He should be retired by now. That’s what the hockey world heard, at least.

continued