The Halifax Mooseheads bus sped across the Murray MacKay bridge Tuesday morning heading to Sydney. It was the first road trip since the Christmas break and the bus was lighter and much younger than usual.
The minimum 20 players were aboard including 3 callups, 16 year old Matt Boudreau (Quebec Midget leading scorer) and a pair of 18 year olds Justin Belanger and Andrew Wigginton, both members of the Halifax Lions of the Maritime Junior Hockey League.
It was rather quiet as we headed out on the highway. Players were watching new Christmas videos or reading new publications but a phone call to Travis Randell would change all of that. The 2 hour bus ride to Antigonish was full of conversations.
As I walked down the aisle, I locked eyes on the 18 year old Newfoundlander who had a quizzical look on his face.
“I just got a call from my buddy Brad Yetman. He’s been traded to PEI and he’s awfully upset. I’m not sure he is going to report. He is really, really upset.”
“What did they get in return,” I asked.
“Brandon Maclean and a 1st round pick.”
“A 1st round pick. Are you sure?” I responded. Garrett Clarke joined the conversation. “Not a 1st round pick,” muttered Clarke who was shaking his head in disbelief. Clarke was a 1st rd pick, 6th overall two summers ago.
“I’ll send him a text to confirm but I am pretty sure he said a 1st rounder, replied Travis.
It didn’t make a whole lot of sense and as we later discovered it was Maclean and a 6th rd pick for the 18 year old Yetman. I was puzzled as Rocket president Serge Savard Jr made it clear he was planning on adding to his team and making it stronger for the playoffs.
Word spread rapidly through the bus. Randell heard back from Yetman and reiterated his friend was strongly considering not reporting.
As I moved back toward my seat, I reached out to welcome Belanger and Wigginton aboard. The two were seatmates in the middle of the bus, not fully accepted as of yet. After all they hadn’t even practiced with the team and knew very few of the players. They weren’t in isolation but close to it – thats the way it is in the hockey world. You could see the seperation from the other players. Both were on 4 game tryouts.
“I’m really excited about the opportunity,” said Belanger as he pulled his hoddie over his rusty red hair. “I had no idea it was coming. Cam called my Dad yesterday at noon and then he called me to break the news. This is great.”
As I eased back into my seat near the front of the bus, my cell was vibrating. I glanced down at the email which had just arrived. I read it a 2nd time. It suddenly dawned on me, the Rocket weren’t adding, they were unloading.
Two high scoring forwards, Joel Champagne and Chris Doyle had just been traded to Victoriaville for 2 players and 4 draft picks. Suddenly, the Yetman deal made alot more sense. I passed my cell to coach Russell. He put down his Theo Fleury “Playing with Fire” autobiography. Soon the coaching staff was engaged in lively conversation discussing trade strategies and what this deal would mean to teams right across the Q. News spread quickly from the front to the back of the bus.
Oblivious to it all was my cross aisle seatmate, Boudreau. The 5 foot 9 160 pounder, a 3rd round pick, 49th overall this past summer was afforded a rare luxury for a rookie – a seat by himself.
He propped his pillow up against the window and elbowed his RDS sport bag over trying to find more room. His debut was Sunday at Metro Centre.
“I was awfully nervous. I had been thinking about the day for a long, long time. Even since I was drafted I have been thinking about. I was very, very nervous my first few shifts. Then I started to relax and it got better. I even had some scoring chances, so it went pretty well.”
As for his 5 game tryout?
“I came here to earn a spot on the team. I want to stay with the team for the rest of the season. Everything is so much faster at this level. Everybody is quicker and stronger. I think I can play here and I don’t want to go back.”
Boudreau grew up and played his minor hockey 20 minutes north of Montreal. His hockey sense and playing making skills caught the eyee of the Mooseheads scouting staff last winter. We were approaching Antigonish where we would stop for our pre game meal.
Boudreau reached into his bag as we turned up the exit ramp. He pulled out a small bright red and gold box of Lindt chocolates which his mother gave him as a stocking stuffer. He plucked out one of the colourfully wrapped balls and poked it thru the seats to a grateful Carl Gelinas. A little gift to his current linemate, old friend and perhaps teammate for the remainder of the season.
