DENVER, CO — Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Cal Foote has worn a Colorado Avalanche sweater many times during his life.
He grew up in Colorado and is the son of one of Avalanche’s all-time great players, Adam Foote.
Foote spent 13 years with the Avs. The bruising defenseman was the team captain hoisting two Stanley Cups (1996 and 2001) in Colorado. His son, Cal, can equal his father with a second Stanley Cup — but only if he knocks off the team that his dad gave so much.
“It’s cool to be back. It’s cool to look in the stands to see where I sat growing up,” Cal said. “When it comes game time, it’s like no other game. You have to come ready to play. We are here to win.”
Cal won the Cup last year with the Bolts becoming the fifteenth parent and son combo to have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup.
“That was the first time I got to see our names next to each other which was pretty neat,” he said.
Cal’s dad was a staple of the dominant Avs team, eventually getting his number 52 retired at Ball Arena.
“It’s very special. Looking up there a couple of times during practice. It’s pretty cool,” Cal told ABC Action News sports anchor Kyle Burger. “It takes a special player to have your jersey retired. He’s definitely been my number one role model on the ice and off the ice, too. It’s cool to have that up there. When it comes game time, got to forget what’s up there, forget who is in the building and just play hard.”
Cal added that his dad’s responsibility this week is to handle all the ticket requests from family and friends.
