Here are a few quotes from and about Philippe Boucher and his trade to Pittsburgh.
Philippe Boucher was at his son’s hockey game this morning, and that’s one of the things that makes a trade so tough for NHL players.
“It’s never easy to leave a place where it’s like your family. I thought I would retire here,” Boucher said. “But this is a good opportunity, and I understand the business of the game. The team I’m going to is a good team.”
He said he knew what was going to happen as soon as he was made a healthy scratch for Saturday night’s game at Phoenix…
“I’ve been around here for a while, and you hope you can retire here, but things like that aren’t always realistic,” Boucher said. “When the team’s not doing well, you have to do certain things. My family’s handling it pretty well. Hockey-wise, it’s a great opportunity for me. That’s how I have to see it. I can’t look back for too long. But when I do, I will be very grateful for the time I’ve had here.”
From the Penguins official site:
Boucher was notified of the trade on Sunday morning. He shared the news with his son Matthew, 10, and daughter Vanessa, 5. When they were told their father was traded to Pittsburgh, Vanessa responded:
“Daddy’s going to play with Sidney Crosby!”
Big trade. Very interested to see how this pans out.
I do like the move and I welcome Sydor back to the team.
I’m here if you need to vent, Patty.
My friend is a Pens fan, so if you like, I’ll keep close tabs on him. And share.
And again, I’m sorry for you. But (and don’t take this the wrong way) I am WAY sorrier for the team as a whole.
Thanks, Life!
That’s nice of you to keep tabs on him. I have already set the next few Pens games on my TiVo. They’re officially my secondary team now. :D
Boucher’s daughter’s reaction is too precious. She sounds like she’s going to be over the moon when/if she meets Crosby for the first time.
In hind sight, there was something particularly fishy about Saturday night. We find out Boucher is a healthy scratch and moments later the Penguins completely tear apart the Sabres. Ooohhhh, the hockey gods would like us to think things like these are random acts, but I suspect differently. How else would one team (stupid Pens) affect two women 1300 miles apart?
Wasn’t that cute, Amy?
And mcguffers, I think you might have something there!
Having been on the fan-side of, well, a butt load of trades, you would think it gets easier, but it still sucks. I had hopes my guy (Mathieu) would get his wish to retire in Anaheim so he could keep his family in their SoCal home. But a year later he was moved for the 7th time. And with a no-trade clause, I didn’t expect B-Rad to have to leave the good gig he had in Tampa. But alas…
This business sucks. But I can tell you, after the initial sting, it does get better. He’s going to a good situation, and it just gives you an opportunity to follow something new. I would never know anything about Long Island, Toronto, NYC, Detroit, Atlanta or Dallas if it hadn’t been for my favorite players getting traded.
See… opportunities opportunities!
You’re so right, Sarah!
Now that it’s been a couple of days, I’m kind of looking forward to seeing a Pens game.