It must’ve been around 4 a.m. in Tampa Bay. We’d just flown in from Winnipeg after the Hurricanes’ first regulation loss of 2018-19. Everyone was thinking about some combination of that loss, the bizarre road trip schedule and how soon we could pass out on our comically large hotel beds.

Everyone except Mike Maniscalco.

He must’ve sensed the new girl’s anxiety, so he sat down next to her outside the team hotel as she waited for the Uber to hers. It took at least 20 minutes, so she kept telling him he didn’t have to do this.

When the Uber finally arrived, he brushed it off.

“You’re family now.”

If you’ve ever met Maniscalco, I guarantee you have a similar story.

His knack for reading a room and putting people at ease has made him a staple of the best broadcasting team in the NHL. It’s also why the news that he’d fallen ill on last week’s West Coast road trip and is dealing with a serious medical issue has affected so many people.

“You know what, he was one of the only people that could understand me when I first got here,” Sebastian Aho told The Athletic on Monday. “The language barrier was hard. He’d always make sure I could answer the questions, and he’d go easy on me at first.”

Being patient is harder than it seems for a TV host dealing with a rising star because fans obviously want to hear from him. Maniscalco worked with Aho to figure out what words were safe — he’d even consult Teuvo Teravainen to make the whole process less embarrassing for Aho.

You can thank him for how far Aho has come on camera in so little time.

When Paul Hemming, director of Hurricanes on Fox Sports Carolinas, thinks of Maniscalco, he thinks of the concourse walk.

“Rig is like Canes Royalty when he walks through the concourse,” Hemming said. “Every single fan calls out his name, wants a picture, wants to chat about the state of the team. I was lucky enough to join him once during the preseason … and I swear the walk alone is a TV show.”

In-game host Abby Labar was concise about her mentor: “You never have to ask him. He asks you.”

“What stands out (about Maniscalco) is how much the players respect him,” said Tripp Tracy, Hurricanes color commentator. “We were on the bus before a game against the Rangers last season, the Canes were on a nice little run but they hadn’t won at Madison Square Garden since (Oct. 29, 2010). You know these buses are usually silent, but everyone was having a laugh about something. I honestly almost turned around and told the guys to shut up, I was going back and forth with them. Thank God they won that game. But I remember Mike was just sitting there with his big, gentle giant stature and Jordan Martinook says, ‘Hey, what do you think about that, Big Rig?’ Martinook is probably the president of the Mike Maniscalco fan club. I could tell you stories about how selfless he is when no one is looking, but what stands out is how much the players respect him.”


Jordan Martinook
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We are with you ever step of the way. The boys love big rig and we are all with him for whatever he needs. Stay strong @mikemaniscalco can’t wait to see you back doing what you love. #bigrigstrong https://twitter.com/canes/status/1185280831792844801 …

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#Canes statement on Hurricanes broadcaster Mike Maniscalco

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At the conclusion of another bizarre road trip and a two-game skid, the collective focus wasn’t on losses or sleep this time — it was a plane full of people concerned about the guy who is always so concerned about them.

Among them was Dougie Hamilton, who had hoped to score for him against San Jose then he actually did, reminding us all how special this sport can be.


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DOUGIE! DOUGIE! DOUGIE!

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Maniscalco is a true link between the fans and the team because he knows when to sit back and let them enjoy each other where others might get in the way by sticking to the script.

“His fun-loving personality and the relationships he builds with fans is something I admire as I work to grow in this industry,” Labar said. “Those characteristics he displays as a genuine and kind person are so contagious, and I don’t think he realizes his impact on young reporters. He’s such an incredible role model on and off camera.”

He doesn’t realize it because he’s not looking for recognition. He just wants to help.

You might get into the hockey industry for the love of the game, but you stay for the love of people. It’s hard to find a better embodiment of that than Mike Maniscalco.

One of the best lines from “Good Will Hunting” reminds us that “You’ll have bad times, but it’ll always wake you up to the good stuff you weren’t paying attention to.”

As Maniscalco takes medical leave to undergo required procedures and recover, we should all follow his lead and try to make life a little easier for each other. That’s who he is — especially when the cameras are off.

(Photo of Mike Maniscalco and Teuvo Teravainen: Gregg Forwerck / NHLI via Getty Images)