Charle-Edouard D’Astous Makes NHL Debut

NEW YORK. It took until he turned 27, but last night former Brynäs star Charle-Edouard D’Astous finally made his NHL debut.

In doing so, he also fulfilled the promise he made at his father’s deathbed.

– It was my father’s big dream that one day I would play in the NHL, so I played for him, says the rarely old rookie in Tampa.

It was two years ago, when he was playing in the Finnish league, that Charle-Edouard D’Astous received the nightmare news that his father had suffered a heart attack at home in Rimouski, Quebec.

He immediately flew home and before his father fell asleep he made his promise.

– It was my father’s big dream that one day I would play in the NHL, so when he passed away I promised that I would fulfill that dream for his sake, the 27-year-old said recently during an emotional interview with the local site Lightning Insider.

Made a success in Brynäs

However, it would be some time before he could fulfill that promise. The skilled French-Canadian remained in Finland for another season and last year, as you know, he was successful with Brynäs and was named the SHL’s best defender.

But this summer he finally signed an NHL contract with Tampa and last night he made his debut in a game against Anaheim at Benchmark International Arena – with his father’s ring attached to a thin chain around his neck.

– It was very emotional when I called my mother and told her that I had been called up from the farming league. We both cried, he explained in the Lightning Insider interview.

There were no points in the debut, but Lightning won 4-3 and above all: He realized his father’s dream.

– I do this for my own sake, of course, but above all for dad. He is always there to help me.