PT - Bryan Trottier - Letter to My Younger Self

[Tyler]

Awesome read:

http://www.theplayerstribune.com/bry...-younger-self/

Loved this bit about Badger:

Your coach in Pittsburgh will be “Badger” Bob Johnson. Appreciate this man, because your time with him will be cut prematurely short. He’ll be the most positive human being you’ll ever meet. He will make you realize, perhaps for the first time, that you’re playing a kid’s game for a living. That every day at the rink is a good day, no matter what.

You’ll lose a game 7-1, and Badger will come into the locker room and say, “Well boys, eight goals tonight. But we scored the prettiest one. See you at practice tomorrow.”

First thing the next morning, he’ll say to Kevin Stevens, “Kev! You’re an animal! I wanna hear you roar like a lion!”

And Kevin will roar like a lion.

[heep223]

Good read. The NHL used to be such a joke though, no wonder it took so long to catch on as a pro sport in the US.

[cam_wmh]

LOL, when I hear Stevens & Trottier....

NSFW!

[Hack&Lube]

I was too young to have heard anything about Badger Bob. What were the reasons for his leaving the Flames after the 1986 final?

[Hanna Sniper]

My personal opinion, the greatest hockey player to play the game

He wasn't pretty but he was a winner - at any cost

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

I was too young to have heard anything about Badger Bob. What were the reasons for his leaving the Flames after the 1986 final?

He actually left in 87. The Flames had lost in the first round. Rumour has it vets like Peplinski and Macdonald didn't like him. He got a good offer from USA hockey, too.

[SuperMatt18]

Kind of surprised he didn't mention anything about making it to the Hall of Fame.

Shows you what Trottier was about though. Didn't say anything about his individual success (100 pt seasons, Hart Trophy, Hall of Fame, etc) only told his younger self about the Stanley Cups that he won.

[troutman]

My favorite player of all time.

[Eric Vail]

Didn't Trottier reneg on his Canadian roots and play for the USA?

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Eric Vail

Didn't Trottier reneg on his Canadian roots and play for the USA?

I think he was able to do so because he had standing as a native.

http://www.ammsa.com/sites/default/f....Trottier.html

In the late 1980s, Trottier angered many people in Canada by using his grandmother's Chippewa status to qualify for an American passport so he could play for Team USA in the Canada Cup international hockey tournament. Trottier offers no apologies.

"Sure, I relied on my Indian heritage to get my US passport. It cost me $3,500 to do it, but when people told me I couldn't do it, I thought 'By God, I can. It's my right,' " he said. "It was misrepresented in the Canadian press to a great degree but I never felt like a traitor. I mean, I participated. And it didn't stop Team Canada from signing Peter Stastny, [a Czechoslovakian] who'd just gotten his Canadian passport."

[Eric Vail]

I lost respect for him when he turned his back on his Canadian roots. Go be an American Bryan. Remember Val Marie, Saskatchewan? That's what made you.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Eric Vail

I lost respect for him when he turned his back on his Canadian roots. Go be an American Bryan. Remember Val Marie, Saskatchewan? That's what made you.

I think it is unfair to call him a traitor. Val Marie is right on the Montana border. He lived and worked in the USA for a long time. His children were probably born there.

He had dual USA/Canada citizenship due to his status as a North American native.

[Gaudfather]

That was a good read. Trottier was the epitome of a winner.

[Hanna Sniper]

Originally Posted by Eric Vail

I lost respect for him when he turned his back on his Canadian roots. Go be an American Bryan. Remember Val Marie, Saskatchewan? That's what made you.

You sure you don't have that cart before the horse... did he really turn his back on Canada or was it the other way around.

[CliffFletcher]

Trottier is what the Flames dream Bennett will develop into.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by troutman

I think it is unfair to call him a traitor. Val Marie is right on the Montana border. He lived and worked in the USA for a long time. His children were probably born there.

He had dual USA/Canada citizenship due to his status as a North American native.

The way I remember Trottier's explanation at the time was that he put up with so much racial abuse playing hockey in Canada that he decided he didn't owe his loyalty.

Still like him though.

[Eric Vail]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

The way I remember Trottier's explanation at the time was that he put up with so much racial abuse playing hockey in Canada that he decided he didn't owe his loyalty.

Still like him though.

If he doesn't have any loyalty to Canada, why should he get it from me?

No thanks. Trottier was a great player, but a traitor to his country. Go be an American, Bryan. We are better off without guys like you.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by Eric Vail

If he doesn't have any loyalty to Canada, why should he get it from me?

No thanks. Trottier was a great player, but a traitor to his country. Go be an American, Bryan. We are better off without guys like you.

Aren't we being a little overdramatic here? He played hockey for another country. It's not like he sold military secrets to the Americans.

[Northendzone]

Cool idea for an article

[Dion]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

He actually left in 87. The Flames had lost in the first round. Rumour has it vets like Peplinski and Macdonald didn't like him. He got a good offer from USA hockey, too.

He got Kent Nilsson traded to Minnesota. The two of them would feud all the time about his lack of defence and I don't give a #### about his game.