At 39 years old, Kimmo Timonen is running out of time to win a Stanley Cup. So as the veteran defenseman joins the Chicago Blackhawks for the remainder of the season after a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers, he’s making it clear what he intends to accomplish.
“The only thing I’m missing from my hockey career is a Stanley Cup. That was the only goal if I returned to hockey,” Timonen said in a conference call Friday night following the trade, via Mark Lazarus of the Chicago Sun-Times.
Originally drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the 10th round if the 1993 draft, Timonen made his NHL debut with the Nashville Predators during the 1998-99 season. He’s spent the second half of his career in Philadelphia, where he reached a Stanley Cup in 2010 falling short to the team he’s now joining.
Timonen missed the beginning of this season with blood clots, however, casting uncertainty over the remainder of his career. With the trade, he gets the chance to make good on his dream of winning a Stanley Cup in Chicago, something that would’ve been unlikely on a struggling Philadelphia team. In the conference call, the longtime Flyer thanked the organization, then noted he believes he’ll be a strong fit with the ‘Hawks.
“The way they play is my game,” Timonen said (via Lazarus)
The veteran is expected to report to the team Saturday and be ready for practice Sunday. While his return from blood clots hasn’t happened yet, he’s expected to be ready soon. One thing he hasn’t done is talk to the team’s coaches yet, since the ‘Hawks are still in the middle of the game against the Lightning as of this writing.
Timonen also admitted the long time off due to the blood clots will leave him with some rust to shake off, but he’s not worried about getting back into the thick of things. “Gonna be rusty for a couple of games, but I will get there, that’s for sure,” Timonen said (via Lazarus).
The Blackhawks needed help on the blue line, and a healthy Timonen should provide that. I think it’s fair to say this is exciting for everyone involved.