I think it makes sense for Ilya to be angrier and harder on Shane than Troy Barrett or the rest of the Centaurs. Sometimes we only bare our true selves to the people we love the most. For somebody with depression, the worst version of ourselves gets presented to those who are closest to use.
You know what, I can almost get behind this head canon. That everyone on the outside gets to see the happy charismatic facade of Ilya Rozanov and Shane gets the real him.
In that case, I want to go back to what I’ve said about Ilya being lucky that he’s found somebody as loving and as patient as Shane. Because then the real Ilya Rozanov, when you strip away the persona, is somebody who minimizes or even mocks their partner’s struggles and drowns in self pity. He unfortunately has a severe mental illness and even more unfortunately has an ineffective therapist who encourages self pitying and distorted thought patterns.
Shane had no trauma? Well he does now! Because living and loving someone like that, and someone who will never change IS traumatic. You know the poor little Ilya who lived with a mother who’s lost to her illness for years? Well that’s now Shane. He might not have to discover somebody he loves lost to an overdose, but he has to live a death by a million cuts. Ilya’s empathy and understanding will be there for others but never for Shane. Shane will always have to be the patient one, the understanding one, the one who has to cope with the anger, resentment and dismissal that nobody else has to see.
You know where caregiver burnout comes from? It comes from stuff like this. Shane would only ever get the worst version of Ilya Rozanov. Because you’ve just described Shane as a caregiver, somebody who’s expected to take a step back and then another step back because no matter how Ilya acts or what he says, Shane is expected to swallow it down because it’s the depression, because he can’t help it.
Shane must love Ilya a lot to think all this is worth it, and I don’t think anyone can describe a caregiver for a person with chronic illness as “selfish”.
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Look I have so many random takes but one I can’t get out of my brain is like..kinda soft launching dom Shane and sub Ilya. Not in bed but like!! Something in Ilya’s trauma compels him to constantly need to be helpful so he’s always cooking and cleaning and making sure everything in Shane’s schedule is on-track. He’s always trying to please him, essentially, and his favorite place is his head in Shane’s lap, with his hair being played with, getting told he loves him. And Shane is very direct and blunt, and has a strong sense of justice, and really he’ll fix Ilya’s tie of its crooked and hold Ilya to all of their previously agreed-upon rules and what he says GOES. Oh, he wants to leave the party? Ilya’s already pulling the car around. His muscles are feeling extra sore? Ilya’s poised and ready to massage him. He’s having a hard food day? His safe food and go-to meal is already prepped and will be placed in front of him in two seconds time. I just like the juxtaposition of their sexual lives and their romantic lives. thoughts?? would love to hear them and ski if you disagree I’ll cry 🥰
You are 110% correct. Ilya, despite all the bravado and shit talking, wants to be there for someone and for someone to be there for him. So when it comes down to it, Ilya taking care of Shane’s needs is how he shows his love. And I think Shane saying what he needs from Ilya without all the tricks and games that a lot of people played on him would mean a lot.
Can you imagine the chaos if ilya and shane actually go through with telling the public they are together once they retire? Let's assume they find a way to survive all that time. Let's assume they find a way to hide it.
Imagine they retire at the same time and are asked to say something at their last awards show.
Walk with me here:
The last one giving a speech end his with "oh and one more thing" The other comes out.
Oh thats weird the audience thinks. Well they are really good friends and have a charity together. Maybe they want to announce something with the foundation
"Due to the blatant homophobia in the MLH we hid the fact that we were together for over 20 years and married for over 10. Now we can live happily out and together. Goodbye"
The internet would explode. The MLH would be burned to the ground
Shane tapped his fingers against the glass. He could see Ilya making lazy circles on ice. The time ticking by before eager campers showed up. Shane wanted to be there early to do one last look at the schedule for the week. Make sure everything was where it was supposed to be. Ilya had smiled at him as he mentioned it the night before as they settled into bed.
It didn't matter how many years they had done it, Shane was still a bunch of nerves. When they arrived at the rink this morning Ilya waved him off and wonder to the ice. Shane was thankful for the distraction free final check, but he was jealous of his husband's laissez-faire approach. He sometimes wonder if it was because he knew Shane had it handled. Shane hoped it was more about a level of trust he had in him.
"Ilya, you got a moment?" Shane asked from his spot. The skates skidded and then slid in his direction.
"For you a million of moments," Ilya said as he came to stop at the boards.
"Everything looks good to go. The breakfast bar for the coaches is set up and they should be here so-" Ilya's lips brushed against Shane's. Warm and soft.
"Thank you for doing that. I get off ice now?" Ilya pressed the next kiss on Shane's cheek. Squeezing his arm Ilya smiled at Shane as he stepped off the ice. Unlike Shane, Ilya didn't need to look at paperwork to feel a sense of readiness. He needed a moment on the ice. A moment between himself and his mother. Another year, another camp, another group of children that remind Ilya of being young and reckless during Russian summers. Skin knees and secret ice cream cones on the way home from practice. Long blonde curls and a gentle smile. On the ice, he can feel her guiding force.
At some point Shame realized Ilya needed this moment to center himself. He trust Shame enough to know he doesn't really need to check schedules and contracts again. But a ruse to give Ilya a moment to himself.
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I think it would be hilarious if Ilya finds out that questions are not just a Shane Thing, but a Hollander Thing.
We see this with David’s inquisition about youtube and Yuna’s various questions to both of them throughout dinner.
The vast majority of Ilya’s family conversations have been silence or statements met with a yes or no.
So he really gets thrown in the deep end with three Hollanders who all seem to communicate through endless questions.
He also learns they get very excited to be asked questions. ‘David, how did the offices summer party go? David, why did you re-uh-reupholster the boat?’ or ‘Yuna, do you think Pittsburgh will make playoffs? Sveta does, but… Yuna, how did you get the surround-sound quality so good?’
It’s a little overwhelming at first but he’s so happy to learn how to be part of his family.
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Little things in the Orthodox/Buddhist Hollander-Rozanov Household.
Mini Buddha next to a Virgin Mary statue.
Ilya picking up incense for Shane’s ancestral shrine when he goes to buy lighters.
Shane picking up candles during his grocery store runs.
Ilya disappearing from the house occasionally to go to midnight service while Shane snuggles up with Anya sleepily waiting for him to get back on the couch.
Shane getting up from bad dreams to go sit by his shrine and quietly tell his grandparents about what happened. Ilya waiting outside the door with lighters and incense.
Shane making so so much tofu during lent and keeping snacks on him throughout the day at the sheer anxiety he feels about Ilya fainting during practice.
Their prayer beads hanging on the door leading to the backyard. Sometimes they’ll pray together.
Ilya cracking up as he puts a kosyнка on Anya.(this happens multiple times a year)
Ilya and Shane wrestling to dress Anya up as a lamb for Easter.
Family photos in front of the local temple with David and Yuna.
Shane occasionally walking into the house, walking back out to take a deep breath and coming back in to absolutely TEAR UP the furniture.(the energy of it was all fucked up) Ilya dutifully following behind him to help move the couch.
Ilya coming home from services to tell Shane the absolute gossip that’s happening over a Tupperware of pelmeni.
“Yes Shane, is true! You don’t just give out your good Tupperware unless you are trying to court someone!”
“Ilya, I don’t think the old lady is ‘courting’ you”
the centaurs are in the airport waiting to board, sitting in front of a gigantic billboard of shane promoting gatorade. it’s a very closeup picture of him with the bottle near his face. one of the rookies goes “hollzy looking nice here” and all the team starts teasing shane. and he’s blushing but not putting a stop to his team’s shanenigans. then ilya gets up to look at it closely and turns around really mad and goes irritated “WHERE’S YOUR FRECKLES?” and shane’s like “ilya it’s just an ad” and ilya argues “your freckles are more important than this fucking gatorade, i’m calling yuna” and shane snorts shaking his head and wyatt says “he’s right hollz, your freckles are kinda iconic” and troy says at ilya “just don’t tweet about this, please, i’m hoping to take harris on a date when we get back home”
As we all know, I have said repeatedly that Ottawa is not a punishment for Shane. He chose to go there willingly after what I am sure was some very spirited bargaining from every team in the NHL, once they heard he wasn't staying with the Metros.
However, not every player has the clout and agency of Shane Hollander, generational talent and all time greatest player.
Time for more Puck Talk With An Unhinged Loon!!
Today:
When Ottawa IS a Punishment, and Other Reasons For Trades.
As I have said a few times, the NHL is terrible to the men whose bodies they use for profit. Even a superstar is entirely at the mercy of the General Manager.
I have mentioned No Trade and No Movement clauses. The truth is, No Movement Clauses are extremely rare. No Trade Clauses are usually modified so they're a list of teams the player cannot be traded to.
All these clauses mean is a player cannot be moved without permission. But if Admin wants you gone? You're gone.
You will be pressured to waive your NMC. And why play out your contract in a hostile environment? Admin can just have you benched. And the longer you're benched, the more your currency as a player goes down.
Even if you are a superstar like Gretzky; Edmonton traded Gretzky to LA for money, basically.
Even if you're the team captain; Boston traded Brad Marchand to Florida over a salary dispute.
If you take nothing else at all from my posts, please remember: THE NHL IS TERRIBLE.
In the GCU, we hear about three trades amongst the named characters. REMEMBER, NEITHER SHANE NOR ILYA HAVE EVER BEEN TRADED.
Ryan Price fulfills a very common role in the NHL, the journeyman player who's not very flashy, but plays the role they're assigned well. They'll never be the face of a franchise, but they're well paid enough it's worth the movement.
We know Ryan Price gets traded every year. Chances are, a team decides to make a playoff run, and they acquire Ryan from whatever team had him last, to protect their superstar players in the playoffs. Ryan tries hard to improve his actual hockey skills, but to team management? He's just a useful pawn.
At least Ryan being traded is normal; it's never done punitively or maliciously, and it's never unexpected.
Unlike Troy.
Troy Barrett is described as a superstar winger, and part of a duo with Dallas Kent. He's a player that a franchise shouldn't let go of lightly.
Then in November, Troy becomes A Problem. He publically calls out Dallas Kent as a rapist, and Toronto (and we later learn, the Commisioner) decides to protect Kent and trade Troy to Ottawa for draft picks.
DRAFT PICKS. FOR A SUPERSTAR. IN NOVEMBER, WHEN THE SEASON HAS ALREADY BEGUN.
Troy was a big deal, but probably not a big enough deal for an No Movement Clause, and he's only 25; even if an No Movement/No Trade clause was part of his contract, it wouldn't take effect til he's 27, when he becomes a UFA.
The trade blindsided him completely. Trading a superstar player for draft picks mid-season is wiiiiiild. There's a reason most trades occur in the off-season; teams have a training camp to prepare for the coming season and solidify a plan. All Toronto gets are draft picks, and those are useless til June.
Toronto would have a sizeable hole in their offensive lines, and would have to call up someone from development, someone who wasn't considered good enough to call up just two months earlier.
In Troy's case, Ottawa is absolutely a punishment. Ottawa is not a great hockey team yet, although Ilya says Troy may be the missing piece.
Toronto trading Troy to Ottawa is an insult on multiple levels; Troy is an All Star, but Toronto traded him to a "terrible" team, which implies Troy isn't good enough to play on a better team. Toronto and Ottawa are divisional rivals and also have the Battle of Ontario; handing a rival a superstar for DRAFT PICKS is fucking nuts.
And trading Troy in November is Toronto's way of saying Troy is a problem that could topple the team's season, so much so that Toronto will gamble on a call up rather than keep Troy.
Trading a star player, a first line wing, in November, for DRAFT PICKS is fucking CRAZY.
CRAZY.
Because those draft picks? Useless til June AT THE EARLIEST. It doesn't specifiy what round of the draft they are, nor what year they are. They might not even be usable in June.
Toronto blew up their 1st line offense, with a known quantity like Troy Barrett, to gamble on the possibility that somewhere in the wilds of development or the future draft, there's someone whose skill matches Kent, and who has the on ice chemistry Kent and Barrett had. Basically a fairytale.
They probably actually blew up their whole fucking season. Because who cares they freed up cap space. NO ONE THEY COULD SIGN RIGHT NOW WILL EVEN TOUCH THE CAP SPACE TROY LEFT.
No other team is trading one of their superstars IN NOVEMBER.
The best TO can hope for is to call someone up from development or the minors and hope - HOPE - they gel with the rest of the team. And anyone they have on their development team was already deemed Not Good Enough in September at training camp.
Toronto might not even make playoffs this season because they did this.
Risking the play offs, and all the revenue from playoff games, just to send Barrett to Ottawa and protect Kent? Not even swapping lines or something. Just poof, off to Ottawa. To a divisional rival that just signed Rozanov, one of the greatest centres of all time. The one thing Ottawa needs to solidify their 1st line.
Fucking INSANE. Like these owners, insane. The admin, insane. EVERYONE IN TORONTO IS FUCKING NUTS.
THIS IS THE VERY DEFINITION OF CUTTING YOUR NOSE TO SPITE YOUR FACE
They're literally trying to destroy Troy's career, and if Ottawa has a bad season, it very well could. Troy is hoping to leave Ottawa after this season, and if the seasons sucks? Troy's a problematic player with a losing record. No one is going to sign him if Ottawa can't get it's shit together.
And yet, Ottawa in worse shape than it is when Troy is traded, is absolutely a great career move for Wyatt Hayes.
Wyatt has been TO's back up goalie for his entire career. He hasn't had a lot of ice time, as far as we can tell. Ottawa likely gets Wyatt for a steal.
And Wyatt gets to start.
See, goalies are a highly specialized position. There's 32 teams in the NHL, and 20 people can dress for the game That's space for 384 forwards, 192 defenseman and... 32 starting goalies.
A lot of teams are doing tandem, so the back up goalie and the starting goalie swap for a certain percentage of games, but TO doesn't seem to be doing this.
In Tough Guy, we see Wyatt on the bench for most of his games in TO before he's traded to Ottawa.
The thing is, Wyatt doesn't get to start. So he doesn't get to show off his skills.
When he gets a chance to start when TO plays Ottawa, I assume someone notices his skills and approaches Toronto for a trade. I assume Ottawa has goalie troubles if they'll start TO's BUG.
Ottawa gets a goalie for a steal, and Wyatt gets a chance to prove himself.
As Ottawa's starting goalie, Wyatt is immediately recognized as highly skilled, and by the end of TLG, Shane points out that Wyatt is going to deserve a big raise for his performance in Ottawa.
Ottawa moves Wyatt from modestly paid dude to superstar, and that's pretty great.
There are lots of reasons for trades.
Sometimes a big star is nearing the end of their career, and a team trades them to free up cap space.
Sometimes a team is in a rebuild, and early draft picks are more useful than players who have great history but aren't gelling.
Sometimes you just want to shake stuff up.
Sometimes your players are on LTIR and you need to emergently fill some spots.
And sometimes you're assholes who think of your players as cattle.
Oh no wait. That's all the time.
The biggest takeaway from this? Troy Barrett was actually punished in the way y'all insist Shane was punished.
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