Why Chris Drury Reminds Me of Spider-Man

The recently retired Chris Drury was one heck of a hockey player. He was a clutch goal scorer. A team-first kind of guy. After reading a story by Lynn Zinser, I got the sense that Drury was also a star who never really wanted the spotlight. This all got me thinking about Drury and his interesting career. He had some great successes, had individual accomplishments, yet never wanted to draw attention to himself.

I started thinking about how I would want to be just like Drury if I was a hockey star. I would want to be a quiet leader who lead by example with my actions on the ice. Drury certainly was a leader as he was the former captain of the New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres. His actions on the ice were certainly exemplary, just check his stats out here. Pay specific attention to his stats for Game Winning Goals (GWG) in the regular season and playoffs… wow.

So how does this all tie into why Drury reminds me of Spider-Man? Let’s start with the comparison!

Number 1: Both Spider-Man and Drury are clutch performers

Spider-Man is a clutch hero because even when he is hurt or is doubting himself, he eventually defeats the villain and saves the day. Drury is a clutch hero because he has 47 career GWGs in the regular season and 17 GWGs in the playoffs. Both Spider-Man and Drury come up big when they are needed.

Number 2: They tend to avoid the spotlight

Peter Parker, the young man who becomes Spider-Man, was originally conceived to be soft-spoken, quiet, shy, and never wanted attention or accolades for being a hero. You can view an interview about this with Spider-Man’s creator, Stan Lee, right here. Drury was not flashy or brash. He was hardworking and a man of few words. His retirement announcement was just about as low-key as you can get.

Number 3: They are compassionate

Spider-Man learned and never forgot that “With great power comes great responsibility.” Spider-Man fought the bad guys and protected those who were innocent and could not protect themselves. Drury also seemed to learn that as a professional hockey player he could have the power to do good things. He holds a golf tournament every year that benefits the Travis Roy Foundation, for those suffering from spinal cord injuries. Drury’s close friend and former teammate Travis Roy had injured himself while playing hockey.

Number 4: They both inspired others with their actions

Spider-Man is a very popular superhero. He has been relevant in comics, cartoons, video games, and movies. Chris Drury is a good guy who may not be as popular as Spider-Man, but those who followed him were inspired by his skills and leadership. Drury couldn’t have been a Little League World Series Champ, Hobey Baker winner, Calder Trophy winner, Stanley Cup winner, Olympian, and team captain by just being ordinary.

Thanks for the clutch and classy memories Chris.

What are your thoughts on Chris Drury’s retirement?

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