More than 26 years later, Shayne Corson still thinks about that drive home.



His father had picked him up at the Toronto airport during the Christmas break in the 1992-93 season. Paul Corson was suffering from cancer of the esophagus. Up until that night, Corson had only heard him speak confidently about beating his illness.



“If anything happens to me, if I don’t beat this…I’m going to beat it…but if I don’t,” Paul told his son as they drove. “I want you to make sure to take care of your mom and your sisters.



“And take care of yourself,” he said. “I’m probably more worried about you than I am anybody.”



Growing up, Shayne and Paul had a unique bond. It was more than the typical father and son relationship. They golfed and played tennis against each other. They spent Saturday nights on the couch watching “Hockey Night in Canada.”



“We were best...