Sorry about being a little late on this. Planned to do it two days ago, but then all hell broke loose with the Eagles, so I decided to hold off on this. As I said, it’s a little late, but it’s a touching story.

I never heard of Jordan Leopold before Monday.

As it works out, he’s an NHL defenseman who’s played in the league for the past 13 seasons – with the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres, St. Louis Blues, Columbus Blue Jackets, and now with the Minnesota Wild.

Must admit, that although I was once a Flyers season ticket holder, I’ve lost interest in ice hockey over the last decade. But getting back to Jordan Leopold –

Leopold played his college hockey at the University of Minnesota and settled there with his family. He started this season with the St. Louis Blues, but was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets in November.

The distance between Minneapolis and Columbus is 764 miles.

Leopold has a wife, three daughters, and a son who all live in Minnesota – and his family hasn’t seen him very often since he was traded to Columbus. His 11-year old daughter Jordyn missed him so much that she wrote a letter to the Minnesota Wild coaches –

This past Monday, March 2, marked the NHL trade deadline.

Guess what?

The Minnesota Wild acquired Jordan Leopold in a trade with the Blue Jackets by sending Justin Falk and a fifth-round draft pick to Columbus.

Now, while this story has hearts and flowers and Walt Disney Pictures plastered all over it, Jordyn’s mom said the letter was never sent to the Wild.

The trade just happened.

“The deal was already done when we saw it (Jordyn’s letter),” said Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen, “almost simultaneously I guess, but that’s a touching letter. He’s a great pro. We wanted to do the right thing with Jordan Leopold. That’s what we had talked about the whole time, we knew that his family was in Minnesota. There is a human side, believe it or not, to our business. I think that it’s great that he can go home, join his family. I see that letter and it’s really touching.”

And so does Jordyn Leopold and her mother, two sisters, and brother.

Barry Bowe is the author of Born to Be Wild and 1964 – The Year the Phillies Blew the Pennant.