This is not the Labour Day weekend hockey fans expected to have.

This FTB will be short. It probably would have been short anyway, as this was supposed to be that weekend where there was no news. All the media personalities would be off for one of their last off-season trips to Muskoka, the NHL team executives and players would be getting in that one last luxury resort vacation on some tiny island in the Caribbean, and all of them would be unplugged from our particular niche of the internet entertainment business, all of which we're a part of here whether a writer or a member and commentor.

Then something happened, and it reminded us this isn't only a "business" to us where we simply process information and data and statistics and press releases and provide you our commentary on them for you to discuss.

There's real people out there that matter to us.

Gaudreau remembered from all corners of sports world on social media | NHL.com
James of NBA, Trout of MLB, NHL teams, players among those mourning Blue Jackets forward, brother
NHL logoDan Rosen

I certainly never expected to be sharing a Tkachuk post from Instagram, but its simplicity is what makes it the most poignant one.

I hope you all can enjoy this long weekend, regardless of what has happened.

This is supposed to be a happy time, and so we should keep it as such and enjoy it, so please feel free to share all your happy long weekend experiences of what you are doing to enjoy this one last moment of summer fun below in the comments before September begins.

From The Branches