Holan Can’t Play, but He Can Still Inspire

From his seat on the club level at the Pond of Anaheim, Milos Holan joined 17,174 others in whipping a white towel over his head Friday night.

He cheered with the fans when Guy Hebert made a key save early in Game 2 of the Mighty Ducks’ first-round Stanley Cup playoff series against Phoenix. He roared when Dmitri Mironov scored the Ducks’ first goal in the first period.

“I have to wear this [navy blue] suit because I’m a player, otherwise I would be wearing white too,” Holan said, glancing around at the predominantly white-clad crowd. “I want to help the team so much. If I was playing, I’d have to keep in the tears.

“This is unbelievable.”

It’s been 20 months since Holan was found to have leukemia, 14 months since he underwent a potentially life-saving bone-marrow transplant and seven months since he first returned to the Pond.

Holan, 25, from the Czech Republic, feels strong enough to attend most Duck home games. And there was no way he was going to miss the first playoff games in the Ducks’ four-season history.

His weight has been a steady 165 pounds for the past six weeks. He has skated once, surprising his teammates with a early-morning workout last month.

He dreams of one day wearing his No. 7 jersey again and taking his spot on the blue line with the Ducks.

He also knows his return is a longshot.

Doctors have told him it will take up to five years before they know if he has beaten the illness. His strength might never return to what it was.

“My first goal is to gain 30 more pounds and try to skate again,” said Holan, who lost more than 60 pounds from his playing weight of 197 during his eight-month stay at the City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte.

Tony Tavares, Duck president, has restructured Holan’s contract, so that he will continue to be paid by the team past the originally scheduled end of his deal.

The Ducks also have offered Holan a job scouting in the Czech Republic if he cannot play again. He said he wants to wait a while before deciding.

“I want to gain the weight, then see what I’ll do,” Holan said. “My doctors are just happy I’m alive. Everybody has shown me big support.”

That support system includes teammates such as winger Joe Sacco.

“He’s been really inspirational to us, showing us there’s more to life than just hockey,” Sacco said. “We’re all so happy he’s healthy and putting weight back on.”

And fans, who rallied by the thousands to be tested as potential donors for Holan, haven’t forgotten Holan either.

Bill Mooney, a season-ticket holder since the Ducks’ inaugural 1993-94 season, faithfully wears Holan’s No. 7 jersey to every game.

Mooney, who last year became involved in the National Marrow Donor program, said he hopes to see Holan playing again one day soon.

He’s not the only one.

Angel batting instructor Rod Carew, whose daughter Michelle died from leukemia last year, often asks Tavares about Holan.

“I’m asked a lot by Rod how he’s doing,” Tavares said. “There’s a high level of awareness out there about Milos.”

Tavares said there will always be a place for Holan in the organization.

“Absolutely,” he said.