NOVI, Mich. — Before
Matiss Kivlenieks left Columbus to spend the weekend in Michigan, he told a few of his
Blue Jackets teammates that he was thrilled to be sticking around longer in the United States this offseason so he could finally experience a Fourth of July in America.
That joyful approach to life is what endeared Kivlenieks to so many people, and it’s only added to the immense grief felt across the hockey world following his death late Sunday after a fireworks mishap at the home of Blue Jackets goaltending coach Manny Legace.
On Tuesday, the process of moving forward took small and delicate steps forward on at least two different fronts.
