‘Dad’s Trip’ brings hockey journey full circle for several Penguins players and their fathers

Source: www.timesleader.com --- Thursday, January 11, 2018
WILKES-BARRE — When Roger Haggerty boarded the bus after Thursday’s practice to travel with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to Canada, it reminded him of his days as a pro Baseball player. Haggerty played with the Boston Red Sox organization during the 1980s and still recalls the uncomfortable Class A and AA bus rides that are synonymous with minor league Baseball. This bus trip, however, is a bit different. Haggerty was one of several fathers to attend Thursday’s practice at the Toyota Sportsplex before traveling with the team as they play in Belleville, Ontario and Laval, Quebec, this weekend. It’s the first time that Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has done a ‘Dad’s Trip’ and the experience generated plenty of excitement from players and fathers alike. For Haggerty, watching his son practice rekindled a rush of memories. The elder Haggerty coached youth hockey for 20 years and always took Ryan to the rink with him when he was a kid. “You don’t get any more enjoyment than that,” Roger said, adding it will be tough to shake the “coach” persona when he watches his son play this weekend. “There is a part of me that watches the game as a father and part of me that watches as a coach,” he said. “It’s hard to separate that part of it.” Still, seeing his son playing pro hockey is something that Haggerty said never gets old. He vividly recalls a moment when his son’s achievement truly hit home. It occurred in 2014 after Ryan left college and ...

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