Shayne's hockey start in South Florida

TAMPA, Fla. - When Shayne Gostisbehere took his seat aboard the Flyers' chartered flight bound for Florida yesterday afternoon, marking the launch of his first NHL road trip, it was just another milestone on a journey that began in Montreal in the 1940s.

His grandfather, Denis Brodeur, grew up in Montreal but migrated to the land of opportunity in Florida at age 11 in 1955.

Brodeur's love for the Canadiens, ingrained in all Montrealers, never left him.

In 1955, the NHL was beyond an afterthought in South Florida. There were no skating rinks. With the Original Six, Brodeur was lucky to catch a national broadcast on a Sunday afternoon every now and again.

The Flyers and the great expansion of 1967 - let alone the Panthers - were years away.

"I missed the game so much," Brodeur said. "It was hard to live without it for so long."

Brodeur, now 71, never had any sons of his own. But when his daughter, Christine, gave birth to Shayne on April 20, 1993 - the exact day the Panthers got their name at a news conference with their then-general manager Bob Clarke - Brodeur knew it wouldn't be long before his grandson would be on skates.

"He always told me before he dies, he wanted to watch me play a college game," Gostisbehere said. "I guess we did one better getting to the NHL."

Gostisbehere, 21, became the first player born and raised in South Florida to make it to the NHL when he made his debut Saturday night against Detroit.

Other NHL players, like Connor Murphy and Sam Gagner, have Florida connections through their fathers' time with the Panthers but were reared in other locales.

Murphy, 21, is the son of current Flyers assistant coach Gord Murphy, who was an original Panther. Ditto Gagner, 21, the son of Dave Gagner. Both now play for the Arizona Coyotes.

Gostisbehere grew up in the shadow of the Panthers in Margate, the next town over from Sunrise, home of the team's BB&T Center. This week, he will make his first swing through his former home state with the Flyers, first stopping in Tampa Bay tonight.

"There were a lot of tears on Saturday. Joy tears," Brodeur said. "We've watched him grow up. We've sacrificed a lot, everyone pitching in, his dad [Regis] working two jobs to pay for it all. Shayne has worked his butt off to get where he is. We're all really proud of him."

Saturday's debut might not have been possible without his grandfather, figure skating and the help of a few selfless former Panthers who helped mold youth hockey in South Florida into a viable outlet.

Gostisbehere acquired his curiosity for the sport at age 3 while watching other hockey players at the rink with his sister, Felicia, a nationally ranked figure skater.

Former Panther Ray Sheppard, who scored eight goals and helped carry the Panthers to the 1996 Stanley Cup finals, took it to another level when he stepped up to coach the Florida Jr. Panthers in 2003 when Gostisbehere was 10.

Sheppard had retired prematurely from the NHL 3 years earlier at age 33 and missed being at the rink. He didn't have a son on the team but felt it was his duty to give back after 817 NHL games.

The Jr. Panthers had a sparkling, three-rink facility in Coral Springs where the big Panthers practiced. They had plenty of talented athletes, jumping over from soccer and football with the help of their transplant roots from cities like Boston, New York and Philadelphia. They just had one problem: a lack of quality competition in the Sunshine State.

What began as weekend trips all over Florida and Georgia under Sheppard turned into an invitation to the premier Midwest "AAA" hockey league. There was one caveat: None of the opposing teams would pay to travel to Florida.

"Even if we lost most of our games, Ray wanted us to play against better competition, even if that meant flying every other weekend," Gostisbehere said. "It was St. Louis, Chicago, Minnesota, Wisconsin every other weekend. It was pretty intense."

Sheppard, now 48 and out of youth coaching, remembered it as a "mini NHL schedule." He coached Gostisbehere from ages 10-14 with the help of fellow NHLers Valeri Zelepukin and Rob Tallas.

"Shayne hasn't changed at all since I've coached him," Sheppard said. "He was always a great skater, he makes good decisions with the puck. They originally had him at forward, but I moved him back to defense. His family was worried about his size, but I knew his talent level wouldn't let that be an issue."

Sheppard's impact on the Jr. Panthers and hockey in South Florida is evident. That group of Jr. Panthers represented the Southeast district at the USA Hockey National Championships.

Two other players from that Jr. Panthers team have been drafted: Plantation's Colin Suellentrop (116th overall by the Flyers in 2011) and Brady Vail, who went 16 picks after Gostisbehere to the Canadiens at 94th overall in 2012. Vail is now playing with the AHL's Toronto Marlies; Suellentrop never signed with the Flyers.

Gostisbehere left South Florida at age 16 to attend South Kent School in Connecticut, where he was recruited by Union College.

Sheppard hasn't kept in touch with Gostisbehere directly, but has silently followed his career, from the Union College national championship up through his NHL debut. He said there was a "good chance" he'd be in the stands Saturday at BB&T Center if Gostisbehere plays.

"I didn't want to always be in his ear, coaching him," Sheppard said. "It's extremely special and I'm extremely proud of what he's accomplished. I'm sure he's going to be nervous. I think he knows the magnitude of the situation, all of the players from Florida who are coming behind him."

Gostisbehere does recognize that, saying it is "an honor to represent the state of Florida and all the kids down there playing hockey." Sheppard's message to him was that if he was good enough, the NHL would find him, whether he was in Florida or Fiji.

The Flyers did find Gostisbehere, a talent they could not deny calling up last week, even if it was directly at odds with GM Ron Hextall's development philosophy.

"This is beyond words, beyond belief," Brodeur said. "I know this is a dream come true for Shayne. All he wanted to do was play hockey. But as I've told him many times, he's living my dream, as well."

Ray Emery seems likely to remain in net tonight. "Right now, we've got a goalie that's going good," coach Craig Berube said. "Schedule permitting, I'll go with what's best for the team" . . . Defenseman Brandon Manning was recalled from the Phantoms. Berube said there's a chance he could play on the trip . . . The Flyers' fathers are accompanying their sons on the annual bonding trip . . . Vinny Lecavalier will be a game-time decision tonight . . . The Flyers have lost six straight (0-5-1) and have been outscored, 24-9, at Amalie Arena since Nov. 9, 2011.