Joe Murphy was homeless this summer on the streets of Kenora, Ontario. Joe Murphy was the No. 1 pick in the 1986 NHL Draft, won a Stanley Cup in 1990 and spent 18 years as a full-time NHLer. Joe Murphy also ran through every cent he had and disappeared for years.
When Sportsnet’s Ryan Dixon heard whispers that a former hockey star had turned up sleeping on the streets, he went to Kenora. He found Murphy, sat down with him, and had a long talk. Then he started digging into the long and lonely trail that leads from the top of the hockey world to depending of the kindness of strangers. Dixon joins us to trace that story, and also to talk about how quick we are to judge and how little most of us understand about people who need our help.
You can read his full story at sportsnet.ca.