Thanks Rosalyn!

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DEADER ALIVE!

It was Adam Deadmarsh Night last week in Los Angeles, an unusual event considering that the rugged right winger spent only two and a half season in a LA Kings' uniform.

In a word, the aura around the event was characterized as bittersweet, from our pre-game chat with him to the on-ice ceremony. Adam's balls-to-the wall style that endeared him to the Kings' faithful was also the cause of his far-too-early retirement due to post-concussion syndrome. After two years away from the game, he's finally rid himself of the symptoms of his condition.

Deadmarsh, who is definitely not in hockey shape and probably tips the scales about 25 pounds more than his playing weight, held court in the Staples Center press room and addressed his life after hockey.

He was at low ebb emotionally after retiring and stayed away from the game but as his health improved, it raised the cloud that had enveloped him. Every once and a while he contemplates what might have been.

"Over the past year I've turned the corner (being symptom-free) and everyone once in a while I wonder why this might have happened to me but overall I feel pretty good," he said. "It's a page in my life that I may never really turn, having to retire when I did. At this point, it's something you accept and you go on with your life.

"To be honest, although I spend a lot of time with my kids, I'm pretty bored. I'd love to stay involved in the game. Hockey is really all I know and it's what I love. I'm going to attempt to stay in the game (mentioning that scouting may be the first avenue he would pursue.)"

To this day, a good number of Los Angelinos wearing his #28 jersey to the matches and Deadmarsh put that in perspective.

"Those jerseys must have been on sale," he joked. "I had a lot of fun and truly loved playing here. Some great memories happened in this building."

His biggest memory, the series winning goal against the Detroit Red Wings in 2001, was presented to in an artist rendering by the Kings are part of a gift package.

Adam was never one to gravitate to the spotlight and it's still evident that's the case. He's moved Idaho but when asked what town he lives in, he responded half jokingly that his family's residence was top secret and deferred from disclosing what town they reside in.

"It's tough being in limbo, but I finally made to decision to retire in August," he said. "At first, I didn't watch any hockey, I just couldn't. Then one day I said to myself, 'This is silly, this is the game I love,' and started watching again. I watched all of the Olympic Games and most of the games on OLN. I have a tough time turning it off but I still love the game."

Deadmarsh was gracious but clearly uncomfortable during the on ice ceremony but ended his speech with a zinger for his old opponents and teammates that drew laughs, "for any of my former teammates who I cheap shoted in the past, too bad, it's too late to get me back."

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Webmistress' Note: it was NOT "for any of my former teammates...." It was, "And to any of the guys...." -- guys, if you're going to quote someone, GET IT RIGHT!