Love and sacrifice

MONTREAL - Paul Byron had a tough start to his career before firmly establishing himself in the pros. Fortunately, he had Sarah by his side.

She would become his wife, and eventually the mother of his two children, Ellie and Brysen.
Sarah and Paul will soon celebrate 10 years together, and they look back on the last decade with big smiles.
"We started dating at the end of my last season in Junior," recalled Paul, who spent three years with the Gatineau Olympiques in the QMJHL. "We spoke a few times and I went to meet her at Bop in Old Hull. There was a connection."
Year one wasn't easy
Paul and Sarah had a difficult first year together.
Paul, who'd been drafted by the Buffalo Sabres, headed to Portland in the American Hockey League to further his dream of one day playing in the NHL.
"We broke up that first year because the long-distance relationship wasn't really working well for us. I was a seven-hour drive away in Portland. We tried to see each other from time to time and meet up half-way on days off, but it was hard," shared Paul. "We were separated for a short time before we finally got back together because we knew we were made for each other. Then she changed programs at the University of Ottawa, which allowed her to come and live with me for a bit in Portland. That's when I knew everything was going to work out with us."
For Sarah, however, the beginning of the relationship was filled with questions.
"At the end of the first year, nothing was certain. I didn't know what I was getting myself into. I was 19 years old, I'd just started university and I didn't really know what I was going to do career-wise. He wasn't in the same city and I was questioning things. I didn't know what hockey could bring and if I was ready to be separated from my family. There were big decisions to make, so we were apart for two months. But when he came back, we were like magnets. That's when we said that we were all-in," explained Sarah.
Shortly after that, Paul and Sarah headed to Western Canada following a trade to the Calgary Flames.
"She was 21. She followed me across the country. I was called up by Calgary, so she was left on her own in a place she didn't know and forced to make new friends. She definitely made a lot of sacrifices so we could be together, and we were still far away from her family," noted Paul.
Claimed by the Canadiens
Just a few short weeks after settling down in their Alberta home, the Byrons were confronted with the harsh reality of NHL life when Paul was placed on waivers.
"The day he was put on waivers, I knew when he got home that something had happened. It was in his face. That's when he told me what went down," said Sarah. "The next 24 hours were very hard emotionally up until I saw the letters MON next to his name on Twitter. I always knew Montreal as MTL, but when I understood what had happened, I couldn't believe it. There were times when we thought of heading to Switzerland and now we were going to Montreal. I'm from [Gatineau] Quebec and I know how people feel about the Canadiens, so I was very happy."
Happy is an understatement.
"The day I got married and the days I had my kids are all special, but that day will always be in the top five," mentioned Sarah. "It was an adrenaline rush."
Paul and Sarah were ready to begin another new adventure.
"We remember that day really well. We couldn't have been happier. I packed my suitcase and I left the same day," explained Paul. "Sarah had to handle the move with two young kids. She had to sell everything we owned and handle all of the arrangements for the sale of the house, too. She also had to make the drive to Ottawa. They're all things that one person probably couldn't imagine doing on their own, but she did it so well."
Here to stay
On September 23, the Canadiens agreed to terms with the 29-year-old forward on a four-year contract extension through the 2022-23 campaign.

It didn't just provide stability for him playing-wise, but important stability for the family as a whole.
"To think where we were 10 years ago and where we are now, it's incredible. It's crazy how you can't predict what life has in store. I'm so happy with what Paul has done. He always worked hard and I'm so proud of him. It's great to see him being recognized for it," said Sarah.
"The extension was big for the kids, too. They're starting school and they're making friends, so it's nice to give them that experience with a certain stability."
In short, love really does conquer all.
"We started out with nothing and now we're very grateful for the life we have," concluded Sarah. "We're hoping for nothing but positives for the next 10 years."