The King Is Home

Not too long ago the greatest North American goalie to ever play the game finally closed the book on his career. It remains a dark day in many Canadiens fans memory, December, 2, 1995 the day the greatest goaltender in NHL history left the Canadiens for Colorado after a 12-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings.

A scene that replays in my mind over and over again, and as it does with many others, Roy walked past Canadiens coach Mario Tremblay to team president Ronald Corey and told him he had played his last game with the Canadiens.

The next day Roy and team mate Mike Keane were members of the Colorado Avalanche, traded for Jocelyn Thibault, Andrei Kovalenko, and Martin Rucinsky, three players who never did anything special for the Canadiens. The very next year the Avalanche won a Stanley Cup with Roy.

The Avs won once again in 2001 and Roy won the Conn Smythe as the most valuable player for his team in the playoffs for a record third time in his career, due to his great play against Martin Brodeur. Known as "The Trade” the Canadiens gave up the player who almost single handedly won them the cup in 1986 and 1993.

With Roy in nets the Canadiens surprised the league in ’86 and then again in ’93 where the Habs won a record 10 overtime playoff games, Roy won the Conn Smythe trophy both times. After the trade many Canadiens fans had rejected Roy saying that he had “betrayed” or “quit” on the team.

One thing that most people do not understand about professional sports is that for the athletes it is a job. If you do not enjoy your job and you have 29 other “companies” willing to pay you to go and work for them wouldn’t you leave as well? With his Canadiens loyalty in question, the Habs never the less decided to have Roy’s No. 33 retired this season leading up to their centennial.

With the darkest day in Canadiens history 13 years in the past, Roy, the media, the Canadiens staff and the fans themselves wondered how the “King” would be treated on November 22. Sitting in my seat just above the Desjardins boxes, right behind the Boston net, I awaited the ceremony giddy like a three year old on the first Christmas morning where he actually understood what was about to receive.

I was there to see the greatest goalie to grace the ice, the hero of millions, my hero and the reason I love hockey. The atmosphere was intense and full of nerves, with grey cup village down the street the Bell Centre was buzzing.

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