Oh. Oh, anon. I wish I could put into actual words what I really think of Patrice. 

I have been watching him since he became a Bruin (his first goal was assisted by Brian Rolston, who was my favorite player at the time, he played on Brian’s line for a while). He has always had talent and he’s always been poised, but to watch him grow into the leader, into the player that he is now... I feel lucky that we get to watch him do what he does every game. I think back to the hit by-- fuck, I don’t even want to write his name out-- when Patrice was taken off on the backboard and we didn’t know what would ever become of him. I cried watching that, because he had the potential at the time to be the greatest Bruin to ever wear the jersey, and we didn’t know if he’d ever play again. And I cried watching his first game back. And I still worry about his head every time he gets hit. But I’m grateful for all the games we got with him after that. 

Patrice plays hockey the way that hockey was meant to be played at its highest level. He has an absurd amount of talent, of course, he can pass to anyone, from anywhere. He can shoot, and he knows when to shoot (that was a learning processes, because for too long the boy would only pass!) and he scores the most beautiful goals you have ever seen. BUT... BUT then he knows what to do when he doesn’t have the puck and he knows how to defend in his own zone, and he never gives up on a play, so when he’s trapped in his own zone, you don’t know when he could turn that around at a moment’s notice. I would have said that he plays like Sergei Federov, but honestly... I think he might do it better than Sergei did. The Selkes don’t lie.

And let me talk about his leadership. He doesn’t need the C to be a second Captain on the team. He’s ready for it, whenever it’s given to him, but he doesn’t need it. He already acts like one, in the room, on the ice, off the ice. He leads by example, he shows everyone how you should respect yourself, your teammates, your opponent, and the game. He is everything a leader is supposed to be and then some. 

I’ll take care of Felina Mae and Trenta while you’re gone I suppose…o