The Players' Tribune

I'll call you home

By Pierre Laroche-Durocher

Recently drafted by the Halifax Raiders, Laroche-Durocher is already falling in love with the city, and is telling it so in this heartfelt letter.

Dear Halifax,

I had already visited twice before the draft last week, and I was already charmed by the magnificient city that you are. I liked your layout, your landmarks, your history. I liked your friendliness and your beauty. That's why I was notoriously pumped to be selected with the 11th overall pick of the last SMJHL Entry Draft, by your own SMJHL hockey team, the Raiders. Little did I know, it has taken me less than a week to completely and irredeemably in love with you.

As soon as I was off the train, waiting for the taxi with my luggage and all, I could the refreshing breeze of the ocean on my face. All the accumulated stress since the day of the draft, with the moving and all, seemingly vanished as my heart filled with peace and happiness at the same rate my lungs were filling with the salty air coming right from the sea. It took me every inch of my strength just to cut myself from that bliss to cramp myself into the little taxi that had pulled up in front of me.

A kindly old man was driving it, and insisted to put my bags in the trunk even though it took him three takes (one per bag) while I would've lifted them all in a single movement. "Well you sure aren't traveling light, eh?", he said with a big smile. "Is that a hockey bag I see?".

"Yes", I politely offered. Then, before the kindness in his inquisitive eyes, my shy nature was overtaken by a swing of friendliness. "I actually just got drafted by the Raiders. All I own is in those bags, for I don't know how long I'm going to be here."

"Marvelous! Congratulations!" he answer back. "I thought I saw something about new young players for the Raiders in the newspaper. Well, in my tablet's newspaper, you know how technology is these days. Are you that fellow, hum, King? They said he was the future face of the franchise and that we should consider ourselves very fortunate to have such a skilled and exciting player to Watch for the next few years."

I laughed it up. "No, I'm afraid not. I'm might be a little less exciting to watch, I'm a defenseman and don't score many goals. I met with LeShaun already though, and the papers were right in saying Halifax is very Lucky to have him. And not only him, there are a whole bunch of us and we're all very excited to be here."

We kept chatting about how he liked to go watch some games but couldn't ever manage to keep track of all the players' names, but he promised he'd remember mine.

I arrived at the hotel where I'd stay until I had a place to stay: the Atlantica.

The clerk had the newspaper opened, right in the sports section, with our freshly-drafted faces smiling at him. I approached, and he had to take a triple-take before realising he also had a job to do. We laughed as we proceeded to the transaction.

"I'm not starstruck", he swore. "It's just the coincidence of you showing up right as I'm reading about how solid you should be for the Raiders' defense squad over the next few years. My little brother is all about the Raiders though, would you mind signing this paper for him?"

"Even better" I said. "I'll bring it into the locker room tomorrow and have everyone I can to sign it. I'm bringing that back tomorrow, you work the same shift?"

He nodded and thanked me so many times I thought he'd follow me to my room. He didn't though, and I got a good night's sleep.

The next day, I brought the paper to the locker room and most guys were more than happy to sign it. After that, me and a couple of them went visiting the docks. The salty air made wonders to us after the hard training and the interesting shower we had. The sight, the boats, it was all so beautiful. When we got hungry, we went into the first restaurant we saw: Stayner's Wharf Pub and Grill. Holy. Rolly. Macaroni. The food there (I didn't actually have macaroni) was divine. I ate way too much crab. It wasn't just the food, it was the service, the ambiance, and the magnificient mustache of the owner (you can see for yourself below). I told that man this might just become my favorite place ever, and he smiled saying that nothing would make him happier.



I then came back to the hotel where Frank (that's the guy's name) was waiting for me. He thanked me forever again, and told me if there was anything he could do for me, be it in the context of his job or no, I only needed to ask. So I did:

"Me and the boys have been to the decks today, where should we go next?"

"Oh man, there are so many things you'll want to do. Are you in any way a fan of history? Fort George is a must in this city."

As it turns out, I'm a history nut. "Alright, Fort George it is. Wanna come with? You can bring your brother too!"

And so the next day there I was, visiting Fort George with my new pal Frank and his 11-years-old brother Theodore. I learned a lot about the founding of Halifax and its role in the colonial era, with the wars and all, but I don't want to bore you, you came for a hockey player's opinion, not a history nut's.


Next thing was going to see Peggy's Cove. For that I wanted to be alone, because that's a sight I wanted to experience with my mother, she loved the ocean and she would've liked it so much. So I took a tour bus, and went. There was a nice old lady on who talked about how much of an incredible sight it was and how she went there at least every month to think about how beautiful life on this planet is. I'll admit that the giant rock of a man that I am almost melted at this very moment. I can't deny having let loose a single tear as she was philosophing about it.

It was indeed beautiful. I don't have any more words for it. Except maybe peace. As I stood there, I definitely was at peace, with myself, with everyone, with the universe.



I went back to the hotel and just kind of lay there on the bed, thinking about the glorious few days I'd just lived. The people I'd met, the places I'd seen, the way I'd felt. I didn't even want to think about hockey, something that hadn't happened to me for a looong time. I actually don't know if that had ever happened to me at all.

I'm feeling really good here, Halifax. I feel at home, and I couldn't be happier to have been drafted by your team. By our team.

-Pierre Laroche-Durocher



[x2 for draft-related]
[1204 words]

Stoked to have gotten you here. Going to be an absolute stud on the blue line for us and wherever you go in the SHL.

go in the SHL.

What if I don't want to go and want to stay here forever?

Keep getting that money.

What if I don't want to go and want to stay here forever?

You'll definitely want to go. They all do in the end