Sheppard-Hendrickson pairing has been a winner

ENGLEWOOD, COLO. - Perfect question for Scruples, the game of moral dilemmas.

Darby Hendrickson and his wife, Dana, are out of town. Wild rookie James Sheppard, about to leave for a road trip, decides to gas up first. But as he pulls Hendrickson's pickup into an Inver Grove Heights gas station, Sheppard accidentally hits a pole.

What to do? Get out of Dodge and pray Hendrickson never notices? Or, leave a note?

The 19-year-old Sheppard did the right thing.

"He left a note: 'Sorry, I put a dent in your truck,'" Hendrickson said, laughing. "We had just met him, and within 24 hours, he dented my truck the first time he drove it. I loved it. Trust me, I don't care about the dent in my pickup."

Of course, if you've ever met Hendrickson, the former Richfield High star, Gophers standout and Wild center, you could have predicted his reaction. Not a hint of anger from a person long known during his 13-year NHL career as one of hockey's nicest guys.

This was one of the reasons the Wild thought of Hendrickson and his family (he and Dana have three children, ages 6, 4 and 2) first when choosing a family for Sheppard to move in with last month.

"We wanted someone who knows us, who has a stable household, who could give Shepp the right home life and who could become close with him and help him, not just in life but with hockey," assistant general manager Tom Lynn said.

"Darby is a really good person and the right person to help. He was the only one we considered."

In fact, the instant director of hockey operations Chris Snow called Hendrickson, who played four seasons with the Wild starting in its inaugural season, he said, "Great."We don't use the basement anyway, and now that we're not playing, it's a natural," said Hendrickson, 35, the 1991 Minnesota Mr. Hockey who scored the Western Conference semifinals-clinching goal for the Wild in Game 7 against Vancouver in 2003. "I'll tell you, it's been fun. He's been great with the kids, and he's just a good, mature kid.

"We're just trying to keep him fed, well-rested and a combination of giving him his space but also being there as a source of a family."

Sheppard said it's been a perfect acclimation.

"I never had younger brothers or sisters, so they're cute and we play around. And if it gets too hectic, I can go downstairs and get private time, especially game days when I need rest or time to myself," said Sheppard, whose game on the ice is getting better and better.

"Darby's a great guy. He gives me advice because he's been in this position before. You can talk to him about anything, just like he's your buddy."

Sheppard added with a laugh, "He's not like a father, telling me what to do and stuff."

Because Sheppard doesn't yet have a car, Hendrickson drives him most places, which is the best time the two can talk.

"I played for Jacques [Lemaire], so a lot of little things I can pass along that Jacques likes," Hendrickson said. "Every night, there's a different situation that's new to Shepp, something he's never experienced. That's where hopefully I can be somebody to lean on.

"I enjoy talking to him. When I was young, my emotions were [up and down]. He seems steadier, like a veteran. And you see, he's starting to make a difference every night."

Hendrickson's been there to talk to Sheppard about his first road trip, his first goal in Edmonton, his first fight, with Pittsburgh's Adam Hall.

"He's definitely got a sense of humor," Hendrickson said, smiling. "He got into his first fight, he thought he was tough the next morning at breakfast. They had the nice shot of him hitting [Hall] in the Star Tribune, and he gave me the old, 'You better watch your step, too.'

"I said, 'Easy rookie.' He needs to be reminded that he's a rookie sometimes."

After playing the past two years in Austria, Hendrickson considers himself retired. He turned down a job in Germany last week. He's working part-time as an FSN North analyst for Wild and Gophers games.

"Shepp comes home and I'm doing homework and he's like, 'You're working, huh?'" Hendrickson said, laughing. "I'd like to see where I can take this. There's still a part of you that would love to play, but I'd say realistically for me, hockey is finished. I had my time and my run, and I'm thankful for that.

"It's an honor and a compliment that the Wild wanted Shepp to live with us. And the TV work, it keeps me involved in the game. And I get to watch Shepp."

Michael Russo • mrusso@startribune.com