DETROIT — New Red Wings defenseman Troy Stecher drove 35 hours from Vancouver to Detroit.
He wasn't alone.
Stecher's dog Phoebe made the trip with him.
New @DetroitRedWings defenseman Troy Stecher drove 35 hours from Vancouver to Detroit — with his dog.
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) January 5, 2021
“There was no way I was coming out here without her,” he said. pic.twitter.com/IGRjOtAlYZ
“There was no way I was coming out here without her,” he said.
Stecher, a free agent signed after his time with the Canucks, stopped overnight three times along the way. He stopped in Montana, then Minnesota, where he stayed with former Vancouver and college teammate Brock Boeser, and then in his girlfriend's hometown of Madison.
“We’re living out in Birmingham. We’ve found a couple parks here and there’s a good trail I’ve been walking around," Stecher said. "People are very friendly in the neighborhood saying good morning every day, saying hi. I’m sure they have no idea who I am."
Phoebe is a Bernese Mountain dog, and became very popular in Vancouver during Stecher's time with the Canucks. The dog has a dedicated Instagram page.
"She was a trooper. I couldn’t be more proud of her," Stecher said after the 35-hour trip.
