Zach Werenski pens goodbye letter to The Joe

Werenski_Joe
Photo by Michael Caples/MiHockey

 

By @MichaelCaples –

Prior to his (assumed) last skate at Joe Louis Arena, Zach Werenski has published a letter to his hometown NHL rink.

The Grosse Pointe native thanks The Joe for his numerous hockey memories, crediting the building for his love of the game – a love that has turned into a path towards NHL stardom.

Here’s the start:

Dear Joe Louis Arena,

It’s hard to believe that this will be the last game I ever play on your ice surface.

And to think, when I was a kid growing up in Grosse Pointe Woods, all I ever wanted was to play a game at The Joe and to be a Detroit Red Wing. Let’s make one thing clear: it’s the honor of a lifetime to be a Columbus Blue Jacket and to wear this sweater, but six-year-old Zach saw your sheet of ice as the ultimate goal. It meant everything to lace up my skates and twirl on the same ice as all the greats to wear the winged wheel.

I’m only 19 years old now, and it feels so weird to be saying goodbye to you.

He goes on to share more incredible sentiments about the iconic Hockeytown building, even saying, “I started playing hockey because I wanted to play at The Joe.”

Check it out here. Well done, Zach.