Milan Michalek returned to Ottawa last month in the same manner he played his seven seasons with the Senators.
Michalek quietly slipped into town, completely under the radar.
Michalek – now 39 years old – was not seeking publicity for his return, even though he was back in Ottawa to help with an important cause. He was taking part in the Grand Portage, an annual fund-raising campaign to help researchers to better understand multiple sclerosis.
“I've never liked being in the spotlight. It's just the way I'm built,” he says with an apologetic smile.
Michalek doesn’t mind bringing a little bit of attention to this initiative because it’s a personal one for him. His friend Félix Jasmin lives with the disease that targets the central nervous system. Every year since 2020, Félix has participated in this major portage expedition — his canoe never touches the water — between Toronto and Montreal. Félix — who does not let his MS diagnosis prevent him from leading an active life — has raised more than $1.3 million in his fundraising endeavors.
Michalek has been by his side for several of these events, including the Grand Portage in 2021 and 2022. Participating again in 2024, Michalek woke up at the crack of dawn and proceeded to carry a heavy canoe on his back for 13 kilometres before handing it over to another volunteer.
Félix says the nature of this event is perfectly suited to Michalek’s shy nature.
“The canoe is a great place to hide. You can go unnoticed under the canoe,” says Félix. “When it comes down to it, Milan is clearly not looking for the spotlight. I'm even the one who has to stir him up a bit to use his aura to benefit multiple sclerosis research.”
Modesty on ice
At its core, the story of Félix Jasmin and Milan Michalek’s friendship is one rooted in hockey – although the former NHL star tried to conceal his past.
Michalek has lived in the Montreal area since he ended his professional hockey career in 2017. In 2020, both Félix and Michalek were coaching their kids in minor hockey at the novice level. Félix was impressed with Michalek’s flawless skating ability and decided to investigate his fellow coach.
“I saw another adult on the ice who looked better than me. This doesn’t happen very often. I got curious. One thing led to another, and I asked around,” says Félix. “When I asked him about his background, Milan simply replied that he hadn't played his minor hockey here. He was beating around the bush. He clearly didn't want to brag. Eventually, he told me that he'd played mostly in Europe, a little in San Jose and Ottawa. When I finally understood that he had played for the Sharks and Senators, I went on YouTube to check out his clips.”
On the internet, Félix would have witnessed the brilliance of Michalek’s NHL career that spanned 747 games. Known has a solid two-way forward with flashes of speed and offensive flair, Michalek produced five separate 20-goal seasons in the NHL. His best campaign came in 2011-12, when he notched a career-high 35 goals and was named to the NHL All-Star Game with fellow teammates Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza and Erik Karlsson in Ottawa.
But when you ask Michalek about his favorite memories of playing in Ottawa, he doesn’t mention any particular goals or moments on the ice. Instead, his attention drifts towards the city itself.
“Honestly, my best memories are discovering the city and realizing how nice the people are,” he says. “When I joined the Senators, the arena area wasn't very well developed. I didn't know a soul. It was really difficult. As I got to know the city, I made some friends. Ottawa is really nice. I miss this city.”
When pressed for more specific recollections about his hockey career, Michalek does mention the memories created inside the locker room.
“I have fond memories of my teammates,” he admits. We used to have a great dressing room. I miss the guys. I miss the locker room conversations. I miss the jokes.”
Life as a coach
Even though he’s now eight years removed from his last NHL game, Michalek looks like he could still throw on his old equipment and play. He remains in peak physical form, discovering a new passion for downhill skiing.
His competitive side is still quite evident when he plays Félix in a spirited table tennis match.
“We train at the same gym, but at different times. At the end of my workout and the beginning of his, we like to play ping pong. Milan tells me that Daniel Alfredsson was an exceptional player, ultra-competitive, who never wanted to lose. I think that Milan is similar," says Félix. “I don't think he's used to losing. Our season started with a number of wins for him, but the wind has changed of late. He gets really distraught when I beat him match after match.”
While he’s a strict competitor, Michalek wears a more understanding and empathetic cap when he’s coaching his two sons in minor hockey.
“The first and most important thing is to make sure the kids fall in love with the game. They need to feel a lot of happiness every time they're at the arena. It's even more important when they're little,” says Michalek. “They must always have fun. We can't have children constantly being pushed around by their parents. Nor should they play hockey to get rewarded. They have to love hockey.”
