Archive of Our Own

Not exactly, no. My plan was always to stay with Montreal until I retired, and that plan did not change when Ilya and I became a couple.

It was only after we came out and we lost the playoff series to the Centaurs that I realized I may no longer fit into their future, so Ottawa seemed like the natural choice. Yes, because it meant living and working with Ilya, but also because it’s my hometown, where my parents are, and I had no desire to leave Eastern Canada, but most importantly, they had a really good team, and I believed in the vision of what Wiebe and his team were building.

Practice, Practice, Practice. To make it to the very top, you have to live and breathe hockey. There are so many other guys battling it out for so few spots at the very top you have to be on top of your game at all times, no matter what is going on in your life, especially when you are young, and even then you might just not be good enough. It’s brutal, and there’s no room for error.

That’s a hard question because I just can’t imagine my life without playing hockey. I think if for whatever reason I couldn’t be a hockey player, I’d still want to be involved in the game, so probably a hockey coach. Sorry, boring answer.

He’s similar to me in all the best ways but also the opposite of me in all the best ways.

The Irina Foundation definitely. It’s crazy to see the real life impact this little idea Rozanov & I had one summer has had.

Last summer I went to visit some of the charities we donate to and hear some of the stories from the beneficiaries of the work they do. It was a truly humbling experience, and I was proud to see that so many people are living better lives because of the work we do.

I’d seen game tape of him before I met him at the World Juniors in Saskatchewan back in 2008, and I thought he was an awesome player to watch. When I actually met him, I thought he was an asshole.

I was! Not to brag (although I suppose I am), ever since I’d been playing hockey from the age of three, I was always the best. It was always a given that I was number one. There was no one on my level. Then this guy comes along, and not only is he on my level but also supposedly better than me. He was so smug about it too! Looking back though, I think I was more suited to Montreal and him Boston, and that’s all it came down to.

Yes, Hayden and JJ are still two of my best friends.

I was like, “whhaat?!!” I was watching with my parents, and I just stared in shock. I think when you’re going through something like that, you don’t really consider other people are dealing with the same thing, and when he did that, I realized I was less alone, and, to be honest, I never considered that coming out like that would be an option.

Yes, I came out to my team long before I came out publicly. I had asked them to keep it under wraps, but I knew inevitably some people would talk.

Toss up between the first one and the latest one. The first one was incredible because it was basically what my whole life had led up to. The latest one, with the Centaurus, was special because I felt like I had a point to prove, and I got to do it with the love of my life.

I think the public perception of me is that I’m a stoic robot. I can let loose sometimes!

He’s extremely kind. Kinder than me or anyone I know. He’s amazing with kids and animals and has such a big heart.

They were not surprised I was gay and really supportive. They were surprised that I was dating Rozanov of all people and may have been a little suspicious at first, but he won them round super quickly.

Haha, my mom called it buzzcut-gate. I was a little sad because I love playing with his hair, but it’s hair I knew it’d grow back, and it’s what made him comfortable at the time. As long as he’s happy, I’m happy. The reaction online was wild, though!

She seems to have gained a bit of a cult following, which is quite funny, but it’s awesome. I’m extremely lucky to have both my parents.

Yes! Rose and I are still good friends. Our relationship was very brief, and we weren’t compatible in that way for obvious reasons, but there’s still a lot of love there.

English (obviously), French (although I’m slow at speaking it), Russian (coming along) and Japanese (just a little).

Probably coaching, doing more with the charity, and a bit of real estate.

Oh, I know! 🥵