Kim Sebrango thrilled to see son Donovan suit up for Senators

May Be Interested In:ExpressVPN unveils massive upgrade to its Lightway Protocol


“Donovan called me and said, ‘You better start the car,'” Kim said.

Article content

Kim Sebrango came on the line from her home in Picton and you could still hear the emotion in her voice about a night that dreams are made of.

Article content

Article content

Less than 24 hours removed from Donovan Sebrango’s National Hockey League debut with the Ottawa Senators against the Washington Capitals at the Canadian Tire Centre, his mother had no problem explaining what Thursday night meant to her and the family.

Advertisement 2

Article content

The 23-year-old Sebrango’s road map to the NHL is hardly a straight line. It includes stops with the ECHL franchises in Toledo and Allen, Tex., plus lengthy stints with the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins and, of course, the Belleville Senators.

Loading...

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Sebrango left the family home in Gananoque as a 13-year-old to accept a scholarship to the Canadian International Hockey Academy in Rockland to not only advance his hockey skills, but also get an education.

During two seasons with the Ontario Hockey League’s Kitchener Rangers, Sebrango finished with 13 goals, 43 assists and 56 points in 118 games.

He was selected No. 63 overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2020 NHL draft and was dealt to the Ottawa organization in the summer of 2023.

You wouldn’t have blamed Sebrango if at some point in the past five years, whether it was in Toledo, Grand Rapids or Belleville, he decided to give up on the dream of making it to the NHL.

But the tears in his mother’s eyes as he took his rookie lap before the club’s 1-0 overtime loss to the Capitals told the story of what this unforgettable night was all about for Sebrangos.

Article content

Advertisement 3

Article content

Advertisement 4

Article content

“How do you put it into words? It’s a tough road, but you think, ‘Wow is it worth it?’,” Kim Sebrango said Friday. “For every player, it’s a grind and it’s a journey, and the business will eat you up that’s for sure.

“It’s perseverance, it speaks to character, stubbornness too, he’s got a stubborn streak a mile wide, which has come in handy because you have to be resilient in this sport. It’s an honour to play in that game, it’s an honour to play 12 minutes in the NHL, but it comes at a pretty big price.

“That’s why it’s the toughest league in the world. To see him on the ice, someone sent me a video and I’m saying, ‘Oh my god, it’s Brady Tkachuk’ and just for him to be on the ice with that magnitude of player. These opportunities come at a high price, with injuries to great players, so it’s a little bit foolish to be excited but it’s how the game works.”

That’s OK, nobody will hold Kim Sebrango’s excitement against her.

Kim and Donovan’s sister Gabby had waited years for this to happen and injuries create opportunities. When Donovan was scratched by Belleville in Allentown, Pa., and transported to Newark Airport on Wednesday night, even he wasn’t sure he’d get the chance to play.

Advertisement 5

Article content

Not long after media posted on social media that Sebrango would play because of a facial injury suffered by top defenceman Thomas Chabot in Tuesday’s 2-0 win over the New York Islanders, his mother received a call from her son that she may want to make her way to Ottawa.

“Donovan called me and said, ‘You better start the car,’” Kim said. “He was in Allentown and we weren’t even sure if he was going to play. Coach (David Bell) told him you’re not playing tonight, I’m sure you’re going to play but you are being called up.”

Kim wanted to make sure she hugged Sebrango before he went into the rink so they met before he took the players’ entrance into the dressing room to flash a photo posted on social media.

Advertisement 6

Article content

Sebrango noted when he skated out alone he only had two goals: One was to not fall and secondly he wanted to find his mother.

He threw her the puck he used in the warmup as a keepsake for what was a special evening.

“I was waiting by the boards that rookie lap with Gabby and there were two little boys and a little girl, and one of the little boys was saying to me that he had some Skittles and he was hoping to trade them for a puck,” Kim said.

Recommended from Editorial

“It was amazing. That little kid I was talking to beside me, I said, ‘You know buddy, any other time I would give you this puck, but I’ve got to keep it’. And he said, ‘Oh no, you’ve got to keep that one,’ I looked at it and I thought the right thing to do is to give it to him, but I looked at it and that one is going to have a special place.”

Nobody is sure what will happen in the future for Sebrango. You hope he gets another chance, but you never know.

“The fact that it happened in Ottawa,” Kim said. “You couldn’t have scripted it better. He’s bounced around, he’s done the grind, he’s been to Toledo, Allen, Texas and then to get traded.

“To show up yesterday was just mind-blowing.”

[email protected]

Article content

share Share facebook pinterest whatsapp x print

Similar Content

David Ettedgui has already had to cover up the story of a girl who became pregnant by one of his players. – Dose.ca
Ant on an apple
A secret weapon in agriculture’s climate fight: Ants
Tankard at 70000Tons of Metal: Fun-Loving German Veterans Return to Cruise Festival
Tankard at 70000Tons of Metal: Fun-Loving German Veterans Return to Cruise Festival
Catholic Diocese and B.C school settle abuse lawsuit for $3.4M | CBC News
Catholic Diocese and B.C school settle abuse lawsuit for $3.4M | CBC News
Leslie Charleson, longest serving cast member of General Hospital, dead at 79
Leslie Charleson, longest serving cast member of General Hospital, dead at 79
The Best Video Games of 2024: 'Silent Hill 2 Remake,' 'Astro Bot' and More
The Best Video Games of 2024: ‘Silent Hill 2 Remake,’ ‘Astro Bot’ and More
Next Gen News: Where Tomorrow's Headlines Begin | © 2025 | Daily News