The Emotional Rollercoaster Story of Former Blackhawk Brian Bickell

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Jared
October 30, 2022 (2:28)

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Bryan Bickell was the definition of a grinder. Debuting in 2006-07 for the Blackhawks, Bickell showed early on that he was not afraid to throw his body around and drop the gloves to stick up for a teammate. Bickell also showed all of us that along with the big frame came a little scoring touch, scoring a goal in his NHL debut in a 3-2 victory over the rival Detroit Red Wings.

Over his Blackhawks career, Bickell tallied 135 points in 384 regular season games, as well as 39 points over 75 career playoff games. Bickell really stepped into his own in Chicago during the 2012-13 Stanley Cup Playoffs, scoring 9 goals and 8 assists in 23 games. His monster performance earned him a 4-year contract extension worth $4 million dollars a season. He ended up winning 2 Stanley Cups with Blackhawks in 2013 and 2015. Bickell played the game the hard-nosed way, which primed him to add on to an already great career.

Bickell was ready to go prove he was worth his contract and the faith put in him by the organization until one day, he wasn't.

Bickell started to feel his health slide in 2015 and was diagnosed and treated over and over again for vertigo. However, he never quite felt right. After winning the Stanley Cup in 2015, Bickell once again sought answers to why he was tired and in pain, physically, mentally, and emotionally. It was during the start of the 2015 playoffs that doctors told him it was due to his concussion history. With the way Bickell played, he accepted this diagnosis and moved forward, one step at a time.

The next season, Bickell's production and level of play faltered, leaving him playing more games in the AHL than the NHL. In June of that year, Bickell was traded to Carolina. He was still not feeling right and went to get an MRI done to finally try to get some answers. It was shortly after that MRI that he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

After the diagnosis, the world for Bryan and his family were filled with unknowns. Will he have extreme symptoms for the rest of his life? Will the medication lighten the symptoms permanently? Would the disease eventually take over his body completely and leave him paralyzed? The unknowns were too much to dwell on. Bickell and his wife, Amanda, decided they needed to lift each other up and keep a positive attitude to move forward.

Bickell started on medicine which allowed him to focus on the things that are within his control. The medicine allowed him to begin getting better and get back to his first love: hockey. Little by little, against all odds, Bickell began feeling good enough to begin his comeback. Bickell was able to suit up for the 2016-17 season for Carolina, playing in 11 games before calling it a career. Bickell played in his final NHL game on April 9th, 2017. The fact that he was able to come back at all was extraordinary enough, however, he created an even more legendary moment: he scored a shootout goal in his final game.

Bickell signed a one-day contract with Chicago on October 4th, 2017 and retired a Blackhawk. Two days later, Bickell took his «One Last Shift», soaking in all the love from his peers, the Blackhawks organization, and the fans that cheered him on for 9 seasons in Chicago. The story of Bryan Bickell is a tragic one. A player who loved the game and had his career taken before its time was up. Now, Bickell is at peace. Bryan and Amanda started the Bryan and Amanda Bickell Foundation, which primarily focuses on providing service dogs to people with MS to help them navigate the challenges they face on a daily basis. This whole story speaks volumes to the type of person Bryan Bickell is: a truly kind, caring human being who can take a terrifying situation and find a way to help others who are in need of it.