When Donovan Sebrango hit the ice at Canadian Tire Centre to take a solo “rookie lap” earlier than his NHL debut Thursday, he had three issues on his thoughts:
“Do not fall and do not miss the puck … and search for and discover your mother,” the 23-year-old Ottawa native instructed the reporters crowded round him after the sport.
His mom Kim Sebrango was exhausting to overlook. Standing rinkside, her emotional response as she watched her son skate out in a Senators uniform to the cheers of followers made all of the spotlight reels.
“It was simply unimaginable, and even watching the tapes as we speak I get choked up,” she instructed CBC on Friday. “I have been a hockey fan for a really very long time, and to see him take the ice with the Ottawa Senators in our hometown, that second was unimaginable. It was past unimaginable.”
Referred to as up from the Belleville Senators on account of a rash of accidents amongst Ottawa’s defencemen, Sebrango logged almost 12 minutes of ice time and made some key performs Thursday.
An evening to recollect
After the sport, he described it as one of the best day of his life to date, particularly enjoying for the staff he grew up watching.
“That is one I’ll keep in mind for positive. That is what I dreamt of as a child, so it means the world to me that I received to try this.”
He mentioned the dream would not have come true with out his mom’s dedication.
“I imply, a single mother having to form of train me the methods of hockey and bringing me into the game, I imply that lap was for her,” he instructed reporters. “Every little thing tonight was for her.”
The Senators misplaced to the Washington Capitals in extra time, last rating 1-0. Regardless of the loss, Sebrango mentioned it was a “nice honour” to play in opposition to his childhood idol Alexander Ovechkin, who scored the sport’s solely objective.
The following day, Kim Sebrango mentioned her son’s achievement nonetheless hadn’t fairly sunk in.
“I am so, so happy with him,” she mentioned.
Sebrango was drafted by the Detroit Purple Wings within the third spherical of the 2020 NHL entry draft. He was acquired by the Senators in a commerce in July 2023, and performed throughout the pre-season.
