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Feb. 12th, 2012 12:32 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cathybitesBrad Richards/Vincent Lecavalier: High school sweethearts
Basics
History
oh man, where to begin...
Brad and Vinny first met when they were both 14-year-old freshman at the Athol Murray College of Notre Dame, a boarding school in Saskatchewan. They were assigned to one another as roommates and quickly became friends.
"We leaned on each other a lot," Lecavalier said. "When you're 14 and all alone and there's nobody to talk to, you need somebody. I think we got lucky."
Vinny ended up staying at the school for only two years, getting drafted in 1996 by Rimouski Océanic of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. He didn't forget about Brad, though. At Vinny's advice, Rimouski's staff checked out Brad playing at the school and decided to bring him to the team the next year.
Their reunion was short-lived, though, playing only one year of juniors together before 1998 draft, where Vinny was picked first overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning. He would go on to make his NHL debut with the Lightning that following season. But, just as in juniors, a little French-Canadian bird whispered into the ears of the Lightning's front office at the draft, and in the third round, they chose Brad. I AM NOT EVEN MAKING THIS UP. THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED. VINNY COULDN'T STAND TO BE APART FROM BRAD.
ahem.
So Vinny started his NHL career, and after two more years with Rimouski, Brad made his NHL debut in 2000. In 2004, they were finally able to acheive their dream of winning the Stanley Cup together for the Lightning. The NHL lockout followed after, and like many other players at the time, the two chose to play in Europe, going to Ak Bars Kazan of the Russian Superleague. Together. Unfortunately, Brad didn't stay long, suffering an abdominal tear that forced him to return to the US to have surgery and recover. (Their phone bills must have been ridiculous.) (I'm just sayin'.)
The lockout ended and the NHL returned for the 2005-06 season, but unfortunately, Tampa Bay's good fortunes did not. On February 26, 2008, under pressure from new ownership, the Lightning traded Brad to Dallas and for the first time since they were 14, Brad and Vinny would play for separate teams. Their friendship hasn't suffered for it, though. Brad still owns a house in Tampa down the street from Vinny (or, he still did the last I heard.) And in 2008, after the Dallas Stars were eliminated from the playoffs (Tampa didn't make the playoffs that season), they went on a week-long boat trip together. (I have been searching for the article where I read this FOREVER but can't find it, but I swear, I am not making this up. I couldn't because I would tell myself, 'This is completely unbelievable.')
Quotes and interviews
The following were from Vinny's personal site, where he answered fan questions. That section seems to be gone, but luckily I'm an obsessive creeper and have saved them.
Who do you like to room with when you're traveling on the road, and do you have the same roommate all season? – Mike
Brad Richards was my roommate for the past eight years, actually. Obviously he's no longer with the team, but I'm lucky enough to have my own room. I think at this point, having a different roommate would be kind of weird.
How long did you know Brad Richards, and are you sad about the trade that sent him to Dallas? – Melissa
I've known him since I was 14 years old, and he's my best friend. To see him go somewhere else is kind of weird, but I guess it's part of the business and we're going to have to move on, but obviously keep being friends.
The first and best thing Vinny Lecavalier and Brad Richards had going for themselves was each other.
They remain best friends. When Richards paused to search for the right word in French, Lecavalier leaned in and helped him find it.
"But more than that, I got helped out when I was that age and had a place early in my career, and I know it made the transition easier," said Richards, who stayed with his best friend, Vincent Lecavalier, when he came up with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the 2000-01 season. "You go to the rink together and feel more a part of things and not isolated at home."
Videos
Photos
Brad and Vinny with Phil Esposito (GM of Tampa Bay at the time) at the Draft.
With their coach from Athol Murray College of Notre Dame.
In Russia. Together.
Brad Richards flew in from PEI to party with his pal at Sophia,
a terrific club in Montreal. The two took turns sipping from Lord
Stanley's mug, sharing the experience with astonished patrons.
Fics
Yet another obvious pairing with a lack of fics. Y u no write what I want, hockey fandom? >:\
Need and the sequel Want by
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lady_deathDon't cross the line, you don't get by by honeymull
Think of Home When the Waves and the Going Get Tough by
cathybitesHow It Hangs in the Air by honeymull
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Date: 2012-02-12 05:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-13 02:18 am (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2012-02-12 02:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-13 02:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-13 03:46 am (UTC)can we please rid the world of Marty/Vinny fics now? MAKE EVERYONE STAHP.
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Date: 2012-02-13 06:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-13 03:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-13 03:35 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2012-02-15 04:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-15 05:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-15 07:35 pm (UTC)And is it just me but do Brad's lips look red and swollen in most pictures of these two, except for the team Canada photos? Or am I just reading too much into this?
Amazing!
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Date: 2012-02-15 09:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-18 12:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-21 06:58 pm (UTC)