There is one thing I am sure of in the wake of my dear colleague Larry Brooks’ untimely passing: The hockey community mourns deeply.

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That’s not to say other sports and other leagues don’t, but the NHL — and its small-by-comparison circle — grieves in a way that is comparable to the way those who have lost a family member do. We are, for the most part, an intimate and passionate bunch.

Unfortunately, I’ve seen it again and again since I started covering the league full-time in 2021. The collective outpouring of support is almost always the kind that takes your breath away.

There may have been no better example than Sunday as we said our final goodbyes to Larry.