#1 Jakob Chychrun Apologist

The #1 ranked North American skater in this year’s NHL Entry Draft has devoted himself to having a positive impact on the youth in Cape Breton and become an ambassador for the Screaming Eagles organization. Dubois didn’t know much about Cape Breton when he arrived, but he wanted that to change. Every time there was a team event in the community Dubois would text team officials “Am I going to the event, if not, can I come?” It’s been passed on to me that the Eagles may have never seen a kid, let alone a top 10 NHL prospect, so committed to giving back.

I was told of a story where 6’3”, 200+ pound forward returned from the Ivan Hlinka to attend training camp and was given some time to himself, to relax. The day after winning gold at the Ivan Hlinka, the Eagles received a message from PLD saying, “When I return do you think we can go to the Boys and Girls Club for a visit when I get back to Cape Breton? Because I promised them that I would return this year and visit them before school starts”.

Another story I’ve heard that sticks out about what type of constitution Dubois has, after one game PL was a last minute scratch due to injury, PL again texted the Eagles and asked “Hey, let me know if you want me to do anything with the fans during the game, as I am not in the lineup tonight?” They printed off a bunch of promotional material and advertised that during the 2nd intermission PLD will be signing autographs in the main concourse. Dubois messaged during the 2nd period and said, “Hey I can come down now and start early?” With 8 minutes left in the 2nd period he was taken down and he started signing. With time running down Dubois turned and said, “I think you should go get some more material for me to sign, because I am not leaving until everyone in line gets an autograph.”

This was no rare occurrence, this is who he is. Win or lose, Dubois is always there to sign autographs in the fan tunnel. When the Eagles practice 2:00pm to 4:30pm, a minor hockey team often has a practice following, and Dubois will sometimes ask their coach if he can jump on and work with the kids. Whether it was the annual Breast Cancer Walk For Cure, or an event in support of Special Olympics Cape Breton, or the “RESPECT PLEDGE CAMPAIGN (Anti-Bullying) where PLD visited five different schools where he spoke to students about making healthy decisions and how doing so has helped him reach his potential as being a player in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, he is always giving back.

“I think the big thing is my dad was a coach in the Q League, so I was around it. But what I remember almost more than anything else is how I looked up to those players in the room. To be in that atmosphere and what it meant to me, I told myself if I ever get the chance to be one of those guys some kid was looking up to I was going to try and help them and be a role model. I’m in Sydney and I want to make an impact in the areas I can and be a part of the community.”

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This leads us to Pierre Luc Dubois – The Hockey Player. The large framed, slick moving, power forward with finesse, who without question has been sculpted with the help of his father, Rimouski assistant coach and former Nordiques draft pick, Eric. The son told me he credits his parents for always reminding him to be a good person first, hockey comes second. But for the younger Dubois, the two go hand in hand.

“I try and do the right things off the ice, live the right way, treat people with respect. I take the same approach on the ice, if it’s a game or a practice, just to always give my all. I want to bring the same honest effort to making a difference in the city of Sydney as I do every day at the rink. It’s how I was raised by my Mom and Dad. I want to make them proud and represent my team, teammates, and be the best person and player I can be.”

As tremendous as Dubois is off the ice, he can match it on the ice. Make no mistake, Dubois is an elite talent. What makes him all the more special – he is as cerebral as he is gifted. It does not take long when speaking with Dubois to realize how much he’s taken in being a coach’s son. The knowledge and maturity for a young man his age is staggering. It shows when he talks about his play without the puck.

“I do take pride in playing in the defensive side of the game. Really, I want to be able to make solid plays in all three zones, whether scoring a big goal or breaking up a play on the back check. That’s something my coach and I talked a lot about during the playoffs. Games are going to be tight, 3-2, it’s going to be one play and it’s not always going to be a goal, and hopefully sometimes it is too. In the playoffs we talked about D-zone draws, and I took a lot of them, just those things that you want to be called on for. I want to be as complete a player as I can be.”

[...]

Since I had the luxury of calling the 902 area code for help on this, I knew there was one last call I needed to make. First, I phoned my Dad to ask him for John’s number. John is a family friend and a respected hockey name in and around my household as long as I can remember. John played minor hockey with my Uncle, plays pick up with “Big Jude” and was a pro player in his day. Here’s what John had to say in regards to Pierre Luc.

“Nothing has been given to Pierre Luc. Everything that he has achieved he has earned through hard work.”

I suppose I should mention that John I’m referring to is John Kibyuk, Assistant Coach of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles.

“Extra time training, extra time at the end of practice, he’s worked at his game. He wants to be a complete player. I’ll tell you this, here is the difference between an amauteur and a professional. An amateur works at the things he is good at and a professional works at the things he isn’t. That’s Pierre Luc. He fights through the frustration of improving on his inadequacies and it’s made him better, made him who he is. It’s a always a two way conversation with him. ‘What do you want work on today?’ ‘Well what do you think I should work on’. Everyone in Cape Breton will be on the edge of their seat Friday night to see where Pierre Luc goes and he deserves every enjoyment that comes along with it. It’s been a pleasure watching him develop into the player he’s become.”

Pierre Luc Dubois has brought excitement and relevance to a passionate fan base in a working man’s hockey area that so desperately deserves it. The time will come when he moves on to the National Hockey League, this we are fairly certain of. What will never leave is the legacy he is leaving behind. His number will likely one day hang from the rafters at Centre 200 for his performance on the ice. More importantly, is the difference he’s making in the everyday lives of the youth and in the place I grew up, where my parents still reside, and my sisters children will be raised.

So on Draft Day I say thanks and wish Pierre Luc the best of luck, even if he ends up with a rival. The Eagles fan in me will make up for it. The goals for them, the wins, taking the franchise as far as they’ve been in the post-season, it’s all fantastic. But it’s everything else that never goes away. His efforts to make a difference will be remembered in my little hockey town. What Dubois has done won’t fade when the buzzer sounds. I was once one of those Cape Breton kids looking up with adoration, just like Pierre Luc was in his Dad’s dressing room. I never forgot those exchanges Van Allen graced me with, and neither will the young boys and girls Dubois has made smile. He’s been a role model in a community that needs them. When you see those you look up to succeed and set an example, it shapes you forever, long after the zamboni is off the ice and the lights in the arena are low.