by Bob Mckenzie
“The elite kids now, there’s no time for extra skating and skills,” Byrski said. “AAA teams do it as a team. The coaches who get hired to coach these teams do it themselves or have someone to do it. Some kids would like private instruction, but they just don’t have the time. I still love working with children, having fun, teaching them, but it’ll never be like it was with Jason [Spezza] or Brent [Burns] or Wojtek [Wolski] or Steven [Stamkos].”
Byrski cherishes those relationships, looks fondly at the wall in his SK8ON office (in his condo) at all the signed photographs and many autographed jerseys from his NHL “boys.”
“It’s very touching to me,” Byrski said. “I stepped on the ice in Canada for the first time in 1988, and this is the country that gave birth to hockey. It gave birth to Jean Beliveau and Rocket Richard and Gordie Howe and Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux . . . This country is like a church, a holy land of hockey, and for me, a young boy from Poland with Ukrainian roots, to come here and start SK8ON and wear my blue and yellow, to expose my creativity and ability to everyone and be so scrutinized by people who know so much about hockey . . . and to develop the relationships I have with so many who have gone on to be stars in the NHL, I am blessed.”
But Jari Byrski won’t soon forget the darkness and despair of Ania’s passing, or the guilt he carried for allowing his professional life to overwhelm his personal life. He deals with that every day, and probably always will.
“I’m slowly making peace with myself on that,” he said.
When he’s not on the ice at the rink, or working in his home office on SK8ON business, Jari has his paintings, his artwork. His living room looks like an art studio. Many pieces hang on the walls; others are in various states of completion on the floor of his condo. Most of them are impressionistic, abstract.
One of the pieces, hanging on the wall, is special. It’s the T-shirt Ania was wearing when she died. It’s been laid flat, stretched over a frame and painted over in a multitude of colours, pieces of broken glass incorporated for what Jari calls the “life experience,” as well as imagery of her heart, her veins. There are others pieces, too, lovely and colourful abstracts with layers of texture and intrigue, not unlike the man who paints them. He’ll often paint one and give it to an NHL client who’s getting married or having a baby, his art work on the front, an inscription or meaningful poem on the back, similar to the one he gave Stamkos in 2008, the one that in no small measure helped to save his own life.
“These pieces of art,” Jari Byrski said, “I call them by a title. I call them ‘The Joy of Life.’”
Photos
Colin Campbell looks at the frozen pond that almost claimed his life when his tractor fell through the ice. Bob McKenzie
A proud father: Campbell celebrates son Gregory’s Stanley Cup victory with the Boston Bruins. Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
A 17-year-old John Tavares celebrates Buffalo’s 2008 NLL championship with his namesake uncle, lacrosse player John Tavares, and cousin Justin (centre). Courtesy of Barb Tavares
Born to score goals: Young John Tavares always felt like he wanted it more than anyone else. Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
Although Don Cherry and his son, Tim, will sit in the seats to watch minor midget hockey, they prefer to stand at the glass in the corner. Lucas Oleniuk/Getty Images
It’s not a Fifty-Mission Cap, but Gord Downie of the Tragically Hip understands what it’s like to be at the Lonely End of the Rink. David Bastedo
Even as a little guy playing for the York-Simcoe Express, Connor McDavid was exceptional. Courtesy of the McDavid family
No one has had a bigger impact on McDavid’s hockey life than his dad, Brian, who coached his son throughout much of his minor hockey career. Courtesy of the McDavid family
McDavid got a surprise during a February 2013 visit to a Penguins game in Pittsburgh: a photo with heroes Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby. © Pittsburgh Penguins
Whether he was playing street hockey as a little kid or playing junior in London, Brandon Prust always had his Granda Jimmy McQuillan in his corner. Courtesy of the Prust Family
Getting a broken jaw, courtesy of Cam Janssen in December of 2008, was one of the worst events of Prust’s life, but not so bad he couldn’t take a selfie. Courtesy of the Prust Family
Prust doesn’t possess the physical dimensions of an NHL heavyweight, but that doesn’t mean he won’t drop the gloves with one, even Boston behemoth Milan Lucic. Christopher Pasatieri/Getty Images
A 12-year-old Karl Subban, his mom, Fay, and younger brothers Markel (far left) and Patrick (far right) marvel at snow in the family’s first Canadian winter in Sudbury. Courtesy of Karl Subban
The Subban brothers—Jordan, Malcolm and P.K. (left to right)—join TSN’s James Duthie not long after the Vancouver Canucks drafted Jordan. Just prior to going on air, Jordan burst into tears. Bob McKenzie
In 2006, Sheldon Keefe thought he might be run out of Pembroke. Seven years later, Keefe returned with his family to see his banner raised to the roof and receive a key to the city. Tina Peplinskie, the daily observer (Pembroke)
A singing Jari Byrski gets a laugh out of Tampa superstar Steven Stamkos before proceeding with an off-season skating and skills session in Toronto. Courtesy of Jari Byrski
After the death of Byrski’s fiancée, eight NHL stars—Steve Staios, Steven Stamkos, Manny Malhotra, Alexei Ponikarovsky, Wojtek Wolski, Jason Spezza, Mike Cammalleri and Andrew Cogliano—rallied around Byrski at a special skills session on August 8, 2008 (Byrski and his fiancée’s planned wedding date). Courtesy of Jari Byrski
Byrski’s painting of Steve Stamkos, a piece of art that went a long way towards saving Byrski’s life. Courtesy of Jari Byrski Courtesy of Jari Byrski
Copyright
Hockey Confidential
Copyright © 2014 by Bob McKenzie Media Enterprises Ltd.
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Published by Collins, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
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“Fifty-Mission Cap” (Johnny Fay/Gordon Downie/Robert Baker/Gordon Sinclair/Paul Langlois) Copyright © 1992 by Little Smoke Music/Southern Music Pub. Co. Canada Ltd.
Copyright © Renewed. International Rights Secured.
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“Fireworks” (Johnny Fay/Gordon Downie/Robert Baker/Gordon Sinclair/Paul Langlois)
Copyright © 1998 by Little Smoke Music/Southern Music Pub. Co. Canada Ltd.
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“Heaven is a Better Place Today” (Johnny Fay/Gordon Downie/Robert Baker/Gordon Sinclair/
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“The Lonely End of the Rink” (Johnny Fay/Gordon Downie/Robert Baker/Gordon Sinclair/
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