A person flaw allowed a former goaltender drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs more than 20 years ago to relive very fond memories.
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An envelope received in the Journal de Québec last May was not intended for the good Jean-François Racine.
At first I thought it was a joke when I saw the small package. A handwritten letter in 2023? “Do not crease” a stamped return envelope. And two hockey cards to autograph!
John Latham, from Cambridge near Hamilton, thought he had found his former idol to add to his celebrity wall.
No comparison
The six-foot-tall Racine, from Roxton Falls, played five seasons in Memphis, St. John’s and Toronto with the Marlies, the Leafs’ farm club of the American Hockey League. Fifteen years ago he retired and turned his back on a career extension in Europe.
The journalist Racine is barely 1.70 meters tall with his small shoes and can hardly skate backwards. Cole Caufield’s physique wasn’t popular at the turn of the century, and competitive cycling suited me better.
At the same time, I decided to go to law school because I felt that as a police officer I lacked credibility on a tough assignment. And I joined the journal in 2003. Being an introvert, I don’t like being the center of attention.
It would have been easy to mistakenly sign the whole thing and send it back with nothing to show, but finding the right person seemed more appropriate. And it was difficult to make.
It usually takes just minutes to find someone in 2023, but the hockey player has given up social media.
“I was sick of hearing about COVID. I pulled the plug,” he explained.
A long job
Despite inquiries, the QMJHL and the Voltigeurs organization were unable to locate him. The legendary Nicole Bouchard of the Quebec Remparts, the famous goalkeeping specialist Gilles Moffet and several former colleagues.
After three weeks, a 2020 article in an Acton Vale newspaper informed me that he was a lineman for Hydro-Quebec. A different post story but not the same. Professional ice hockey has not secured its financial future.
“I haven’t played since 2015. Because I travel a lot for work, I couldn’t imagine going to ice hockey at the weekend,” he adds.
Ultimately, it was businessman Laurent Proulx, a former adviser to Régis Labeaume’s team, who solved the mystery on June 24. Proulx owns several restaurants in Centre-du-Québec.
A month later, due to the decoration and the distance, the meeting could take place in the Laurier-Station sports complex. Two dark bearded Jeff Racines. end of similarity.
The former goalkeeper was selected in the third round of the 2000 auction.
“Did anyone tell me you got hockey cards to sign from when I was young?” he asked, amused at this unexpected time travel.
The signatures
Racine, 41, retained only a mask and his draft jersey.
Stevens LeBlanc/JOURNAL DE QUEBEC
As a father of three daughters, he no longer owns leg warmers or equipment.
“I traded that for some ski gear for my girlfriend!” he laughs.
First observation: I wouldn’t throw gloves at this beautiful piece of wall that hasn’t featured an O-Pee-Chee card in a long time.
“It’s fun. It brings back beautiful moments. We don’t realize it enough when it happens. I’ve done seven camps with the Leafs. “Patrick Roy was my childhood idol,” concluded the colossus, who believes it was the right choice to have met to earn his living.
Stevens LeBlanc/JOURNAL DE QUEBEC
Oh yeah… John Latham will be receiving his autograph cards soon. It was first necessary to post a letter at the post office in order to successfully get to it.
“I like collecting autographs from ice hockey players. It’s a shame Racine never became a regular NHL goaltender, but it’s an incredible achievement to be able to play my sport all these years,” he told us.
In November 2006, Jean-François Racine knocked on the NHL’s door by serving as Jean-Sébastien Aubin’s back-up while the Leafs hosted the Canadian. That evening, Patrick Roy was inducted into the Hall of Fame. His memory remains immortal, even if he has not played.