By Ron Cook / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
On one hand, they are hockey players. They love the game almost as much as life itself. They love the competition, the thrill of victory, the pursuit of a common goal with teammates they consider brothers. They also love the paychecks. They have made millions. There are millions more to be made.
On the other hand, they have young families. They want to be good husbands and fathers. They want to be there for their wife and kids. They don’t want to be incapacitated before they reach middle age. They don’t want to die an early death.