A return, a retirement, and one final goal. Bryan Bickell's last week as a professional hockey player was anything but normal.On Tuesday, Bickell suited up in his first NHL game since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in November. On Friday, he announced he would be retiring at season's end to deal with his condition, and, on Sunday, Bickell scored his first career shootout goal on his last ever shot in the NHL, leading the Hurricanes to a win in his final contest while shutting the curtains on a career taken too soon.With two non-playoff-bound teams headed to a shootout deadlocked at 3, Hurricanes head coach Bill Peters gave Bickell one final moment in the spotlight, despite the fact he had never scored a shootout goal in his career. After moving in and ripping a low wrister past Flyers goaltender Anthony Stolarz, Bickell got a whole bunch of props from teammates and opponents alike, as Flyers players fist-bumped him before his Hurricanes teammates mauled the 31-year-old in celebration. While wife and daughter looked on and everyone in the arena lost their collective shit, it was the perfect moment to cap off an emotional few months and an exceptional career for Bickell.The Hurricanes forward announced in November that he was diagnosed with MS. After getting things (relatively) under control, Bickell resumed skating with the Hurricanes in January and started seeing game action with the team's AHL affiliate Charlotte Checkers in February, scoring a goal and three assists. He was recalled last week and played his first NHL game since October against Minnesota, followed by his retirement announcement on Saturday—a day in which he received the Steve Chiasson award for exemplifying determination, dedication and inspiration.He's been receiving monthly treatments for the progressive condition that has made him feel like he's "running low on gas." Bickell reportedly let his teammates know of his decision on Thursday, and hoped to give the fans one last hurray during the final weekend of his career."Hopefully, we can fill the net up for the last home game for the fans. Hopefully I can get one for myself. You never know when the last one is. It would be special," Bickell said.His ability to foreshadow is only matched by his ability to lift and inspire everyone in his path, and Bickell gets to walk away from the game as one of the most beloved players in it. The 2004 Chicago second-round pick finishes with just shy of 400 games played, notching 66 goals and 136 points with 192 penalty minutes. Most incredibly, Bickell delivered one of the best moments of an unbelievable 2016-17 season, and retires as a three-time Stanley Cup champ.
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