BOSTON – On every game day, Joey Daccord calls his mom.
It’s a long-standing ritual between a son and his mother, Daniela Daccord.
There is a caveat, though.
They never talk about hockey.
If they spoke, a few days after the big homecoming night at the T.D. Garden, they could talk at length about his brilliant performance in which he made 36 saves for the Seattle Kraken in the 4-1 win over the Boston Bruins.
It was his first professional appearance in the TD Garden.
He only other times on the ice was for NESN’s Mini One-on-One and skating for Bruins Family Day as his dad, Brian Daccord, was a former goalie coach with the team.
Mother and son focus on more important things, like the Daccord family of four.
“Joey and (his brother) Alex (who played goalie at Phillips Academy and St. Anselm College) are best friends. I am very blessed and very grateful for the relationship that they have and the relationship the four of us have,” said Daniela.
Daniela said the most impressive trait about her eldest son has nothing to do with hockey, but instead how caring he is for others.
She noted Joey starting his own foundation back at his alma mater, Arizona State University, called “Dacs’ House,” which is a suite in Sun Devil Hockey’s brand new Multi-Purpose Arena where families of children going through medical treatment can enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience with Sun Devil Hockey.
Joey’s grandmother passed away from pancreatic cancer, and helping those fighting cancer battles, holds a very special place in his heart.
Besides that passion to help others, Daniela said that conversations sometimes are about her son’s Robert Irvine skills as a master chef.
“Joey loves cooking and he does his own meals, even when he’s home with us,” said Daniela. “He makes very good meals and is very dedicated (to cooking). He’s made steak and sweet potatoes and he makes great salads. The summer before when he was home with us and his girlfriend, he would grill. Oh my God, he is good. He’s such a great chef.”
Daniela is from Switzerland, and her husband Brian is from Montreal, Canada. He played goalie at Merrimack College from 1984-1987, before playing seven years in the Swiss A League. The two of them came back to the United States and found a home in North Andover and have been here for the past 28 years. Both boys have three citizenships with the United States, Canada and Switzerland.
Since settling in North Andover, Brian has worked in some capacity for the Bruins, Phoenix Coyotes and Toronto Maple Leafs. This year is his first season as the goalie coach at Boston University, the No. 1 ranked team in the country. In addition to all of that, he runs various goalie camps and schools — Stop It Goaltending — and has written five books in regards to the position, including one for parents.
While he was making rounds through professional hockey, Joey was slowly making his way up to meet his father there. Before his first NHL game with the Ottawa Senators in 2019, Joey put on six different uniforms, working up the different ranks of amateur hockey.
“I always use the expression a goalie could take the elevator but needs to take the stairs,” said Brian. “You need to take one step at a time. If you try to move too fast, now you get in trouble because you miss all of the important lessons and experiences that go along with it. Joey took the stairs, every step of the way. He went to North Andover High School for two years before going to Prep School, so when he played his first game at Prep School, he had 48 high school games played. That gave him the opportunity to jump from one level to the next.”
Including being named the MVP of the Winter Classic on New Year’s Day, Daccord has taken off this season, now with 16 wins (two shutouts), a 2.33 goals against average, a .923 save percentage and a 36-save performance against a team that he rooted for his entire life.
“As a little kid, I remember Joey having in his room his little dreams and goals on his wall, above his bed and now he’s here (in the National Hockey League). It’s just amazing,” said Daniela.
That little kid was tickled pink for all 60 minutes of Thursday’s game played before 17,850 fans.
“Growing up anyone from New England will tell you that as a hockey player, you wanted to play for the Boston Bruins,” said Joey after the win. “I was no different as a kid growing up. To get the opportunity to play here at the Garden against them – and they’ve obviously had a great season and a great run for however many years now – was a surreal moment for me. It definitely made me feel like I was a little kid again.”
Shortly after the game was over and Daccord met with the media, he found a large crowd of family and friends waiting to celebrate his memorable night.
“I had my parents, my brother, a few of my best friends who I grew up playing hockey with (here at the game). I only had like 13 tickets I think but on the post-game guest list, I think I have between thirty and forty (people),” he said. “I just had so many people text me saying they were coming to the game. All of this support has been incredible. It’s like a full circle moment after it took so many years to get here. Playing in the NHL is one thing but playing against the Bruins is really special and I’ll never forget tonight.”
Twitter: @JamiePote