Stars and Stripes Showdown a successful tribute to Johannson

PLYMOUTH, MICH. -- There were a few tears but there was also a lot of joy at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Mich. on Sunday afternoon.
The first Stars & Stripes Showdown charity game was a living testament to the impact of Jim Johannson, the late assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey, who passed away suddenly in January at age 53.

Before the game started, Johannson's wife, Abby Tompkins, their two-year-old daughter Ellie, Johannson's father Ken, brother John and sister Judy Stevenson, stood at center ice before the sold-out crowd of 3,890 and watched a video tribute to Johannson's life.
Team Blue captain Patrick Kane and Team White captain Auston Matthews brought flowers out to Tompkins, Ellie and Stevenson before Ellie launched the ceremonial first puck.

"It was amazing, an absolutely incredible outpouring of support for JJ," Tompkins said afterward as she held her sleeping daughter in her arms. "The fact that the players organized it made it even more meaningful. Just such a special day and something I know he would have been very proud of the guys for pulling this together and doing it and everyone taking their time out of the day. I think he would have been slightly embarrassed that it was him they were doing it for but I think he would have been really, really proud of the people in general."
The idea was hatched in May when Team USA earned a bronze medal during the IIHF men's world championship in Denmark.
Red Wings center Dylan Larkin was talking with John Johannson, USA Hockey executive director Pat Kelleher and a few others about a way to honor a man who meant so much to USA Hockey.
"We really did rally around JJ at worlds and we wanted to bring a gold medal for him and I know he would be so proud of that group," Larkin said. "After every game we had a hard hat and we shared it, after every game or every practice we gave it a new guy. It wasn't supposed to be this way but everyone shared their story about JJ and how they met him or if they didn't know him, something that he's done for them. Everyone has a different story. If someone didn't know him or knew him and was best friends with him, just to hear how much he did for anyone, he'd give the shirt off his back for anyone.
"The idea came up and we really rallied around him and the idea came about just in my head. I thought it would be a great idea, a fun way for myself, with our busy NHL schedule we weren't able to make it to the funeral. So this is a great way for us to do what we love to do and raise money for his family and his foundation."
All proceeds from the event benefit the Jim Johannson Legacy Fund and the Ellie Johannson College Fund.
Larkin and Red Wings teammates Jimmy Howard, Justin Abdelkader and Luke Glendening, plus coach Jeff Blashill, did not have to travel far but there were quite a few players who paid their own way to come to town for the event.
Howard said he didn't think Larkin, who helped organize the event, had to work too hard to convince players to come.
"JJ's very special," Howard said. "In one way or another he's helped every single guy in that dressing room, in both dressing rooms. To be able to be a part of this event and come out here and be part of the first one is extremely special."
Among those who made the trip were the Toronto Maple Leafs' Matthews; the Chicago Blackhawks' Kane, Alex DeBrincat and Connor Murphy; the Columbus Blue Jackets' Nick Foligno, Seth Jones and Cam Atkinson; the Minnesota Wild's Zach Parise, Ryan Suter and Louis Belpedio; the Boston Bruins' Charlie McAvoy; the Winnipeg Jets' Jacob Trouba, Kyle Connor, Jack Roslovic and Andrew Copp; the Ottawa Senators' Craig Anderson and Patrick Sieloff; the Anaheim Ducks' Patrick Eaves and Cam Fowler; the Philadelphia Flyers' James van Riemsdyk; the Buffalo Sabres' Jake McCabe and Kevin Porter; the New Jersey Devils' Drew Stafford and Stefan Noesen; the Carolina Hurricanes' Alex Nedeljkovic; the New York Rangers' Brady Skjei; the Calgary Flames' Matthew Tkachuk; the New York Islanders' Anders Lee; the Colorado Avalanche's J.T. Compher; the Washington Capitals' Riley Barber; the Vancouver Canucks' Quinn Hughes; and the Nashville Predators' Jerrod Tinordi.
"I met him the first time my first year at the NTDP," Matthews said. "I think just getting to know him over the years, he obviously gave me an opportunity to play for USA Hockey, play for my country, not only the NTDP but the world championships, world juniors. He's always the guy that's kind of putting everything together and he worked so hard to make our lives, everybody else's lives easier and give us a great experience."
Jake Chelios, a member of Detroit's organization, and Notre Dame's Dylan St. Cyr also played.
Kelleher said seeing so many top U.S. hockey players show up meant a lot to Johannson's family and also to USA Hockey.
"It just shows they're special people," Kelleher said. "I think we always like to talk about our sport and what we think it does for kids and how great it is for families to be involved in hockey. I think seeing those guys today personifies it. They personify it. They care about the game, they care about the people involved in the game and to have them come back and do that, it wouldn't happen without them being just great people. And with Dylan Larkin really leading the charge to get people here, he did an unbelievable job and to have the other guys jump on board and be a part of it has been incredible for everyone here today."
Blashill and former Wings assistant and current Wisconsin Badgers head coach Tony Granato coached Team White while New Jersey's John Hynes and the New York Rangers' David Quinn coached Team Blue.
Granato and Johannson played together on several teams, including the 1988 Olympic squad.
"The thing that was so remarkable about Jimmy is he was one of those teammates that was just special was that he always accepted the role that he was in and loved whatever role that was, and found a way to be a big part of the team," Granato said. "Some teams, he might have been a fourth line, penalty-killing, shot-blocking guy and on some teams he might have been a top line power-play guy. But he was one who would understand the importance of all the roles. I think that carried over into his success when he did get into USA Hockey as far as how he constructed teams, how he related to people, how he understood people."
Howard, Larkin and Glendening played for Team Blue, which could easily have been called Team Maize and Blue as it had eight players from the University of Michigan.
Team Blue prevailed, 14-9.
Larkin scored two goals, including one on a penalty shot, and two assists; Glendening also had two goals.

Abdelkader, playing for Team White, scored in the first period on Howard, his Detroit teammate.

"He wasn't too happy," Abdelkader said. "He came in after the first period and asked me what I was doing. He thought I was going to deke on him. I know where to shoot on Jimmy once in a while. I've had plenty of practice."
Although the game is over, the fundraising is not.
There is still an online auction where people can bid on game-worn jerseys, hockey memorabilia and hockey experiences.

The world may have lost Johannson far too soon but it is safe to say the legacy he left will live on in his family and in USA Hockey.
"I hope in my life that I have an impact on people the way JJ had an impact on people for all these players to show up," Blashill said. "I don't know if people understand what a big deal it is that elite-level players throughout the NHL came back, elite-level U.S. players came back to honor him. That doesn't happen very often. You can talk about it and say you're going to do it but for it actually to come to fruition, this speaks to the impact he had on people.
"He was an unbelievable human being. When you were around him, you felt good about yourself. I just thought it was a great tribute to him."