Hockey’s power couple show the love
Outside the arena, his wife’s the big name — but on the ice, he’s the captain of Nashville
The message was posted on her Instagram account on Saturday afternoon from the countrysinging star to her hockeyplaying husband, from Carrie Underwood to Mike Fisher, the National Hockey League’s power couple.
“I love this man more than words can express,” Underwood, the seven-time Grammy Award winner, wrote on her account. “I am beyond proud of him … he is an amazing man of God. He loves his family, his friends and his job.”
Fisher doesn’t consider himself a celebrity of any kind in the Stanley Cup final, in hockeycrazed Nashville, as the first-year captain of the Predators. As Game 4 of the final approaches Monday with the Predators coming off a 5-1 victory Saturday to cut the series deficit against Pittsburgh to 2-1, Fisher has attempted to stickhandle around any personal questions. His wife earns $20 million a year, according to Forbes Magazine. His career earnings are beyond $45 million after 18 NHL seasons. He is in a unique position in professional sports.
“I don’t really look at myself as a celebrity,” Fisher said. “I mean, I don’t know. As far as being a celebrity, my wife gets more attention than me, which I’m OK with. I just kind of hide and put her out there.”
But right now, for these days, until the Country Music Awards take over Nashville, there can be no hiding. It’s all about the Stanley Cup.
Fisher, the 37-year-old captain, is possibly in his final NHL days. His contract expires at the end of the season. Most of the players from his draft year, such as previous Stanley Cup champions Vinny Lecavalier and Brad Richards, have already retired. He understands what it is to be here, back in the final for the second time in his career, the first time in a decade, how precious this is, how special the occasion, how remarkable this town has become, and yes, how unusual and blessed he is in his own life.
“This whole run for me and seeing this city come together and this group has been special,” he said. “What it’s been able to do, it makes me proud to be able to be a captain in this run.”
This is his first season as captain, replacing Shea Weber. At first, he needed time to grow into the role. He admits that now, especially after a tough start to the season with the Preds.
The Predators have grown into this giant story — this national story, really — with how they’ve been able to combine hockey and honky-tonk and the downtown environment of Broadway and the one of the noisiest rinks in NHL history in a place where big-name country music stars sing the national anthem and run the chants on an every-game basis. One minute you’re looking at Hank Williams Jr. saying “Are you ready for some Predators?” and the next minute it’s Keith Urban singing the national anthem with Nicole Kidman looking on. But ask the Predators how the celebrity culture began around their team and you get a simple answer.
It started with Underwood. It seems the country music scene is rather tight. Everybody knows everybody else, and a lot of them celebrate the success of each other. So when Underwood began having a presence at Predators games, so did her friends, and so did other singers and entertainers who otherwise may not have paid any attention to hockey.
In getting to this point, they have protected their privacy and have done almost no interviews together on the subject of their lives or their relationship, in which they share deep religious beliefs.
They have spoken to Oprah Winfrey. Hasn’t everyone? They even named an oak tree on their property after Oprah. They talked a lot about their spiritual beliefs and how much religion factors into their lives. They talked about how they would pray together on the phone when dating.
Soon they may be talking about a Stanley Cup parade. Underwood has no shortage of awards, from Grammys to Billboards to American Music to Country Music. For Fisher, this is the big one.
“I’m getting up there in age,” the native of Peterborough, Ont., said. “And I’ve played on some great teams. I know how hard it is to get here. I realize that and I’m trying to enjoy it as best I can. I’m trying to lead the best I can and give everything I’ve got.”
If this is the end for Fisher, he may be leaving the Predators but he won’t be leaving the city.
“This is our home,” Fisher said. “It’s where we want to raise our family. It’s an amazing city and the people are unbelievable. We have so many great friends here, great church. Our families love visiting. It’s become a special place for us.”
It becomes that much more special if Nashville wins the Cup. It won’t make him a bigger celebrity than his wife, but it will make him a figure for the ages.