We Are One Big Family
The Hockey News loses a teammate with the passing of longtime subscriber Phil Hoffman BY W. GRAEME ROUSTAN
Dear readers,
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When I acquired The Hockey News idnidJawnausartoy c2h0a1n8g, eontheeotfetrhme f“isrusbt sthcrinibgesrIs’ troea“dmeer mbyesresl”f,bIekcnaeuwset,haastawheawlf-ecreenotunreybig fhaomckileyy. team, which is another word for
Once announced, I received a flood of wHoecllkweyisNheswasnfdamsuilgygaersotiuonndstfhroemwoTrhled. One tPhhaitlisptoHodffomuatnt,hwehmoohsatdtobmeeenca mloeyaflrosumbsfacmribileyrsaincdem19em88b.ePrhoilf’sTLhienHkeodcIkneymNeseswasges were always clear, which probably comes ftroopm-tiheirm, nob-eninognsaehnoscekleityigpaltaiyoenraatntodraney at Pryor Cashman in New York City.
On April 17, 2018, Phil wrote:
Congratulations on acquiring THN. I just sent a note to customer service noting that it should not take 10-12 business days from the day THN is on newsstands to arrive in my mailbox. I hope you can figure out a faster way, because the Playoff Preview issue is no good when it is stale. Thanks.
Twenty-two minutes later, I wrote back: I will look into it right away.
Four minutes later Phil wrote back:
Thank you so much. I have been a subscriber since the 1980s and fan of the game since 1966. I have been fortunate enough to play the game and also represent NHL players and coaches over my career. The Hockey News is always a special treat. When it arrives at home, I always get an email from my wife telling me it’s waiting for me.
On June 4th, 2018, I heard back from Phil: HilIlihaorpdehyaosutaakreenencajoryeinofgmthyedpellaivyeorfyfsi.sSshuaers,i so all is good with my subscription. She also gave me a free trial to the digital app, owuhtiscthanI dtriniegd. Tthhies wabeielikteyntdo. rIteaisdaabnsoislusuteely wsoeeeakr. lPyhiisl.amazing. I love it. Have a great
On Feb. 26, 2019, Phil reached out to me again:
I am writing because I am once again shtailvlihnagsisasufeews wmiothntmhsy tsoubruscnr.iIphtiaovne, wbeheincha tsoubbseccroibmeer afomr demecbaedreys.eIt hbaevceanu’sterIentheowuegdht Aitsmaardeesusletn, sIehtaovelebtemeny sduebnsicerdipthtieonMeoxnpeiyre. and Power issue, which I always received as ipsasurtesofismnyostugbosicnrgipwtieolnl., Iaanmd tshteillmwaailiitninggoffor my Trade Deadline Preview issue, not that it will do me any good now. I am frustrated and feel left behind. I wrote Shari Hilliard about these problems, but I take it she is no longer with THN as she has not responded. Anything you can do would be appreciated. Thank you. Phil.
March 28, 2019, after fixing all of Phil’s issues and making sure he received everything he asked for, he wrote back:
I just finished reading the Money and Power issue. Could be the best issue of The Hockey News ever. Gold Membership, here I come! Thanks for all you are doing. It has made a monumental difference. Now if they could only work out the mail delivery issues!
On March 31, 2020, Philip (Phil) Hoffman, husband, father, grandfather, member of The Hockey News family since 1988 and New York Ranger season-ticket holder since 1989, passed away in New York from athge CoOf 6V5ID. -19 virus at the way-too-young thaPthhilewcoaus ladtdyipsihcaoluhtoccokmeyplpalianytesrininthe cthoerngearms eincaouhledasthedakGeahmaend7saansdaagfteenrtlemthaenoapnpdosdiinsghpoluatyethr.eIncoamwpolirmldewnthsetroe monasnoycciaolwmaredsiasiatnbdehuinrdl carnitoicniysmitaynd pmoulachr owpoprosseitaesansdpaortto,tPahl cillawsassatchte, byoeucaaunsde bhe cwroituicldalgwohfaecnet-htoin-fgascwe weriethnot right – but he would equally deliver the compliments when you did things right. tThhaenweoverlrd. needs more Phils now more
Upon learning of the news of Phil’s dhiesawthifer,oEmileaeLninHkoefdfmInapno, ast,tIhceoirnthaocmteedin tWalhkitweiPthlamines,oNv.eYr. Svhideegoracocinofuesrleynacginrgeeadbotout PNheiwl asnadndhitshleovNeeowf YhoisrkfaRmainlyg,eTrhs.eSHhoecskpeoyke cfoarvea,nwhhoiuchr fwroams aPshhilr’isnheoocfkseoyr-tfsillteodhmocakney andOntheecNouelwd wYorrikteRaabnogoekrso. n all the stories htheartetihsearesaamrepalebouf thPehsiltoarnideshsishelotvoelsd,. but
So he was clearly YaolroknRgtainmgerhfoacnk,eisytfhaant,rpigahrt?icularly a New
GRAEME ROUSTAN:
Ranger fan. There wouldHneevwerasbealawnaoythsear
EILEEN HOFFMAN:
steisatmer.,Hanedgrheiws nuepigwhbitohrahasidngalecomloormTVanadnda he did not. He used to bring the Rangers bscahbeydsuitlefortoyo(uhiasnnyeoifgthhbeosre)naignhdtssays l“oIngwailsl tsheerteh’sema Rinancgoelorrg. aTmhaetowna”ssobatchkatinhethceoubledginningNoof whi,gohusrcrheocoolr, dI sthsihnokw. that he was a subscriber for a very long time and, from
GR:
the picture that you sent me, he kept all the past issues of The Hockey News.
When (The Hockey News) came in the mail, I used to bring it in the house
EH:
ant dwotarkeaandpiscatyu,r“eLofokit wanhdatsiesnwd aitititnoghfiomr you,” and he would be so excited that The HockeyWNewalslwnoaswthkenroew. about how he is a big Ranger fan. Tell me about the last game
GR:
he went to.
For the past few years we’ve been taking our family to Phoenix, whether it’s
EH:
in January or March, to a Ranger game. In tohwenpmasitnitwrooadortrtihprse, eanydeasroswwheermevaedrethoeuyr were playing nearby, we would go to before or after.
We went to Vegas and Phoenix last year, bthuitstyheasrewaseownewnatstocaDnecnevllerdabnedfoPrheoenanixd, gthaemPeh, oanendiixt gwaamses.oWmeawgnerifeicaetntthlye fDilelendver gwoitthoNtheewseYogarkmReasnagnedryfaonusd. oSonm’t teatkime eysouyor u nswdtaaersvt fehuralylr.oanssewijancagksyehotauov.fiSfnobgeiftcuawnu,asasendpdeeltoihgpehlteafruweln,ilal
11TinheDReannvegre)r,sbduitditlowseasthseo geaxmcitein(Mg taorcthe last second, so it was great. In the morning, antotwtJhoaesaMpioricpshtoperolte,ntaetnid,d.t heRtoalndguesrsthaanttwnhoeeursnaecnaesrino,
What was Phil’s reaction to that? ofapmtiimlyisWint.ePIlnlh, owgeoeninwixge, rtahenrsdotiuPllghghiolaiwnllgaostfoatghcoeosceekmeyoaeiuldsr
GR:
EH:
othnaet wnoew’vethgaottesanyfsrotmhaetvheeryablowdayy,sI jwusatlkgeodt fdioguwrnedthtehasut nwneywsiodueldofjuthset gsotreveisti,tsouhrefajumsttilhyeinsePahsoennwixoaunld penrojobyabthlyeibrecobmacpkansoyoann.dI don’t think at the time he thought that we would bWeains hthisishpeoasltihtiofanilninogwa. t that time or was heWOKe?were fine in Denver and in Phoeinnixa.
GR: nLoaorken, awewiwther1e8o,0n00airoptlhaenresp,ewopelew, ewre
EH:
were in NaierwpoYrotsr,kwfierswt,esroe tihnerreesatarueraamntisl,liwone pblamceisngweancyoounlde…hiatvdeogeostnt’etnmita.tWtere. aWre ngot
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We thought he turned the corner on
(MPartcrhick3)1,satn, wd hiechaisdanlosofemveyrs, ohne’shabdirnthoday gtemt bpetrtaetru, rbeu,tsobwvieotuhsolyugithdtiidtnw’ta.s going to your famAriley?you OK and healthy? The rest of
GR:
I feel well, but I did test positive on MondayA(rAepyroiul 6s)e.lf-isolated or with family?
EH:
I’m all by myself here. I’m going out
GR:
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EH:
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Phil loved hockey so much, and I am sgsooamgmleaasdn, yIthltoahvtineIgoesnuajrosfysroeiedcniaidtt,setdaotowh. iIotehcnkiejto.yyI,tItwhloeivllebe greaamlleyicnhtahllenfagliln, bguftorI amme gtoignogtto a yheaanrgiof nI ctaonmbyecsaeuasoenheticlokveetsdfourra section, he loved our seats. We jouusrt dloinvenderebverfoyrtehhinagn.dW, ae bl ovtetlde of wfuin,ea,nitdwitaws aslwaagyrsejautsstpnoicret faonrd hmI toyhciksnoeknyipwt rkhaeecpntticheeimFwrioadsuatgyoraoftwtrmioniudgb-ulep:. n6iag.hmt,asnodhSeadtuidrdn’atyhmavoernailnogt oatf timIethtoingkewt ahnayttmhiynbgieglgsesdt oisnseu.e will be for the rest of my life igsramnadkkiindgsskunroewhohwowmmucuhchmPyhil loved them. EilDeeunrimngenmtyiocnoendvtehrasat tPiohnil,had a close personal and profesCsiaomnaplbrellaotifotnhsehNipHwL.ith Colin CoWlinhseanidr:e“aMcheemdo, ries IgohianvgetofaPrhiinl kw, aesarly morning in Westchestaenrd, wphraecrteisweed lwivheedn I was coaching with the PRhanilgaetrtsh. aRturninkinagnidnto hwiasssaongo–aIltbeenldieevreahned monytshoant tGeraemgo, rthyepRlayyeed
Rangers. I got to know hPohcilkjeuystggaominesg wtoitmh ionuor kI isdosopnllaeyairnngetdhethrea,taPnhdil was an avid Rangers fan, fparnosbtahbelyreoanreeo. f the most avid
PhWil we gaos taclshoita-cvheartytignogo, adnldawpyeror,faenssdioI neanldlyedinuapcuosuipnlgePhil of ways. He also helped me cornoasshtehaedTc’osaacnhdindgoctotnhterIa’cst afwrliioethnt,dtahnwedhRheanenwIgewarsass.aWwgoeitohtdatlhkeed pRasnsgienrgso. Tf oPhielarreathlley tirsaagic tough one, and this disease stourtchoef sweavye.”ryone in some expPrheisl’sedahuigshltoevre, Kfoer rhyo, ctokledymines: o“MmyaDnyad
twaapyes,, ftroohmishhisusnedarseodns toicf kweatsll, htoanhgisinggosa, l tlIouvtseelfloitnhrgethepevreegrsayemonnet e.tHehnesrekanbdeeiwactaeausbsRoeuahntisgheilosrvs.e floerastht e80Rapnegrceernstwoafspceaolplelde wouhtobhyaavte expervesrsfeodrgtheteitrhcaot ngdreoalet nlocvees.hNeohoande.” will anHdiIspsloany,ePdaitnritcokn, saoifda: d“Mulyt hfaotchkeery loenaegutheagtarmeaelslytosgtaenthdesr,obuut.tWthheirle iIs’m nfworarwsmaparuldltyionangtahoialsilntpeeanwrdtietcrhu, lImasrykgadataemdde. aIansnatdhe steoctohnedfrpoenrti odf tohfethoeppgaomsitei,oIns’skantetd Manyddfaodunhdadmtyhseelpfuwcikdbeeohpinend. ptahsesneedtt,hseo pI uscrketaommede, a“DndadI!o” nHeenteimtmedinidteprafsosredmtyhfeirosut tasdtrueltched Ihwocilkl enyevleargfuoerggeota.”l. It is a moment misPsheidl wbyilhl bisefraemmileym, hbiserferidenadnsd, clients and his extended families at RTahnegHerosc.key News and the New York On a personal note to Phil, as the oNswuepwnpesor, rtahtnaodnf pkthuyebolmuisafhogerarzyoionfueTrhflooeryHdaoeltccykaaednyeds. IrewsitllansseuvererdfotrhgaettEyioleue,nanisdnyoowu cinan eveEriyleoenne’cslopsreadyebrys.saying that Phil is probably saying right now: “I’m hbauptpaylltIorbeaelilyn wThaentHioscakneoythNeerwSst,anTlheey my HCuopckweyinNfeowr tshseuRbascnrgieprtsio. nI ,remnyew RthaenCgeurps, esevaesroynyetiacrk. eLtest,’sanGdomRaynfgaeitrhs!in And then I think he would add…What took you so long? That’s Phil.”