Hockey Guy was sad to hear about Kelly Chase’s health issue — but heartened by his strength and resilience.

Chase is one of the most impressive sports figures I’ve run across in my 30 years of sportswriting. He willed himself into the NHL, beating long odds with his ferocious competitive drive.

He was one of the toughest players of his era, a fearless battler. He routinely fought bigger opponents. I can’t remember him backing off a challenge.

He was a smart hockey player and a phenomenal teammate, the ultimate stand-up guy. He has forged a nice career after hockey, too, demonstrating the same attributes which propelled him to the NHL.

This brain lesion could become his biggest challenge yet. But the Chaser is attacking it with his usual courage and vigor.

He will be an inspiration for all of us, again.

WILL COLORADO’S GOALTENDING STACK UP

During the preseason, goaltender Petr Budaj looked ready to take charge in the nets. He posted a 2-0 record and a 1.87 goals-against average.

This was most encouraging, since the team lost Jose Theodore to free agency.

But then Budaj allowed five goals on 20 shots during a season-opening 5-4 loss to the Bruins.

“I didn’t feel that bad,” Budaj told reporters. “Obviously, when they score five goals, it’s not a good night. I felt good and I thought I saw the puck well. There were a couple tough bounces. I don’t want to blame it on them.”

Budaj will get the next start for Colorado, but the team acquired veteran Andrew Raycroft to back him up. Coach Tony Granato has options.

AROUND THE RINKS: Is the 900-year-old Craig Conroy the right guy to play with Jarome Iginla and Todd Bertuzzi? Flames coach Mike Keenan thought so. The results were horrific, a 6-0 loss at Vancouver . . . Sabres winters Thomas Vanek and Maxim Afinogenov come into this season at full speed. Both were slowed by nagging groin injuries last season, so both are strong candidates to improve . . . Now that he is captain of the Sharks, will Patrick Marleau regain his old point-per-game form  . . . The Senators are shopping forward prospect Alexander Nikulin, who didn’t even get into a preseason game with the team . .  . Ottawa isn’t terribly busy during the next two weeks, so it’s a good time for Daniel Alfredsson to undergo minor clean-up surgery on his wounded knee . . . For now, Martin Gerber is the starting goaltender in Ottawa. But his rough regular season debut in Europe has fans howling for back-up Alex Auld to get a long look . . . Bruins Peter Schaefer is in limbo after clearing waivers. The team didn’t assign him to Providence, yet, but it had to get his $2.1 million salary off the cap. “Yeah, it was difficult,” said general manager Peter Chiarelli. “I had a history with him in Ottawa and I brought him here and it wasn’t working out. And I know he’s a good player (but) these things happen.”