Five years ago today...

...in the wee hours of the morning after the Hurricanes had been eliminated from the playoffs by the Boston Bruins, the Hurricanes lost defenseman Steve Chiasson in a one-car accident near the water treatment plant on Falls of the Neuse Road.

I could write a long eulogistic post about how much he meant to the fans in Hartford and how devoted he had become to the fans here, or a rambly reminiscence about the virtual wake that was held by all of us on the old Penalty Box message board (a wake that was crashed by MADD trolls hell-bent on telling us all what a horrible evil person Chase was because of one moment of terminal stupidity), but I won't.

Instead I give to you, my readers--my friends (even though I haven't met but maybe 3 of you)--this word of advice:

Call a cab, call a friend, hell--call ME. But please don't get behind the wheel if you've been drinking, because it's a crapshoot whose odds do not favor you.

Rest well, Steve. We miss you.