Ex-Islanders Defenseman Caps a Remarkable Road to the Cup

A former Islanders defenseman has turned a long, winding hockey life into a Stanley Cup moment, and those stories always land a little harder than the usual parade photos. Players who bounce around the league usually have to earn every bit of respect twice, once in the room and once in the narrative. This one has the feel of a career that kept going when a lot of people would have assumed the book was closed. New York fans know better than most that the league loves a good second act.