Hockey Wives ep 11: Season Finale

How can you follow up a guest appearance by Laguna Beach alumnus Stephen Colletti? Well that was the task at hand for Hockey Wives this week with its season finale.

The 16-episode season has followed the lives of 11 hockey wives (or girlfriends or fiancées) as they navigated the off-season, free agency, training camp, mid-season injuries and now, in this last episode, trade deadline. So let’s begin there.

Both Martine Forget, engaged to Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jonathan Bernier, and Taylor Winnik, married to Daniel, are wracked with nerves about the trade deadline, seeing as how the Leafs were major sellers this year. And it seems Taylor’s nerves were not unfounded because Dan, in fact, did get dealt to the Washington Capitals. Here’s how it went down. First, Taylor decided to get a haircut, which usually would be a non-issue, but according to Taylor, last time she got a haircut, Dan got traded to Pittsburgh (at the time, Dan was also getting a haircut).

“Last year, when Dan got traded to Pittsburgh, we were both getting our haircut in the same salon. And Dan was like in the middle of his haircut, half of his head was cut and the other side wasn’t,” she said.

This, of course, begs the question: did Taylor’s haircut set in motion Dan’s eventual trade? That, we can never really know for sure. But what we do know for sure is, Taylor held a successful art show in Toronto, showcasing her photography from the last seven years the night of the trade. Many of the Hockey Wives cast attended and so did a fair share of Leafs players. It was the held Sunday night ahead of the Monday trade deadline — timing Taylor later regretted — and during a speech, Taylor said she was happy her husband could see her art show and he hadn’t been traded…yet. The camera panned to Dan, who looked like a deer in headlines. Turns out, Dan was traded, likely, in the middle of that gathering. (A Toronto Sun article says he learned of the trade at 10:45 p.m. ). In the episode, Taylor says when the two rushed home after the art show, Dan waited until they arrived back home to blurt out the news of the move to Washington.

(For what it’s worth, it’s these behind-the-scenes moments, explaining how it all went down when I think Hockey Wives is at its greatest.)

What followed was a frenzied day of packing and a heartfelt, rain-soaked goodbye with BFF Martine at 5:30 in the morning ahead of the drive to Washington.

“I have to say, this year did not turn out the way it was going to. Originally I had loftier ideas of us maybe staying in Toronto a little while but that’s the way the hockey world works. You think you’re getting one thing and all of a sudden you’re moving to Washington, D.C,” she said, in her farewell moment.

And while Maripier Morin (MP) and her fiancé Brandon Prust weren’t headed to Washington, D.C., they sure didn’t get what they expected from the hockey world this season. After being traded to Vancouver in the summer, MP and Brandon envisioned a year of long-distance, or, alternatively, MP moving to Vancouver. In a way, it was neither. Brandon injured his ankle in the fall and never really found a place with the Canucks. He was sent down to the AHL and, eventually shut himself down for the season to recover from the nagging injury. That’s where we are this episode with Brandon back in his hometown of London. On. rehabbing his ankle.

MP, meanwhile, has her career back on track. Early in the episode, she wins a Notable Award — these are the “Oscars for young professionals,” she says — and it’s presented by none other than Six Dad, Norm Kelly, who’s making his Hockey Wives debut (That is how you follow up a Stephen Colletti cameo, apparently). Then later on, she reveals she’s secured three TV projects for the immediate future – remember when she was out of work for that one whole episode? – in Montreal. And while work life is going well, MP reveals that Brandon’s tough year and not getting dealt at the trade deadline took a toll on their relationship. He shut her out, she says, and was “not the Brandon I’m in love with.”

However, the return home seems to have calmed the waters of their relationship, so much so that they even headed to the gym together to work out (a couple that works out together, stays together is a saying, right?). And on top of that, the two are beginning to plan their upcoming wedding next summer, much to the delight of Brandon’s family.

“This season has been a lot of struggles,” MP said. “I’d say more downs than ups, but I think it’s in the downs that you learn so much more about yourself and that’s when you’re able to grow and become a better person.”

Meanwhile, in California, Tiffany Parros threw her twins, Lola and Jagger, an awesome 4th birthday party, complete with a bouncy castle, games and margaritas (for the adults). An emotional Tiffany reveals that she delivered her twins prematurely and because of their difficult birth, has since vowed to always “go all-out every year” for their birthdays. There's not much more to this, other than Tiffany is an awesome mom who throws excellent birthday bashes. But it's nice to see the Parros gang having fun.

And with that, that is a wrap on Hockey Wives season two. Until next season!

Three stars:

3. Norm Kelly

2. Taylor Winnik

1. Lola and Jagger

Best line of the episode:

Taylor and Daniel are packing. Taylor finds some thank you cards young Leafs fans wrote for Dan. Taylor looks at one card drawn by a young fan:

Taylor: Oh my gosh. Look there’s you scoring a goal. Poor kid doesn’t know you don’t score that often.

Dan: I scored at that game. That’s why he drew the picture.

Taylor: Are you sure it was this game?

Dan: Yeah.

Taylor: Oh okay. That’s cute.

Dan: Yeah. Joke’s on you.

Misplay of the episode:

Taylor and Martine are saying their goodbyes.

Taylor: Look I have a present for you.

Martine: What? Why?

Taylor hands her a bottle of champagne

Taylor: Boom. Why? Because I found it in our refrigerator and I don’t need it.

Martine: But you’re not going to drink it?

Taylor: I have another one. We have two.

Martine: I don’t like champagne

Taylor: F*** off! (laughs)