Ex-Leaf Vaive’s autobiography a page-turner
TORONTO — Rick Vaive’s career as a prolific goalscorer in the National Hockey League was rooted in making life miserable for opposing goaltenders.
Knowing what we do now about Vaive’s life after reading his autobiography “Catch 22: My Battles, In Hockey and Life,” written with a primary assist from former Postmedia sports editor and veteran hockey analyst Scott Morrison, it’s a bit of a wonder Vaive was able to climb his way up the NHL’s offensive ladder in the way that he did.
In the book, the former Leafs captain lays bare his obstacles as he progressed through an NHL career that started with the Vancouver Canucks in 1979 and ended with the Buffalo Sabres in 1992, including struggles with alcoholism (he writes that he has not had a drink since Dec. 4, 2011) and anxiety.
“The book wasn’t going to be full of, ‘Everything is great, life was fantastic and everybody was perfect,’” Vaive said on the phone from his home in Niagara Falls. “I think most people assume that you played 13 years in the NHL, your life was great growing up, and everything is perfect and you’re rich.
“They don’t understand that we’re ordinary people who have families and challenges.”
In its 242 pages, the book is an engrossing and informative read as Vaive takes us through his childhood in Ottawa and the Maritimes, when alcohol consumption among some family members began to have an influence on him, through the dressing rooms of the four NHL clubs he played for (with an emphasis on his years with the Leafs from 1980-87) and into his time as a coach once his playing career ended.
Vaive has wondered why his No. 22 hasn’t been retired by the Leafs, and, taking into consideration what he accomplished, you might as well.
Not only does Vaive hold the club record for most goals in a season with 54, accomplished in 1981-82, he is the lone Leaf to score at least 50 goals in three consecutive years, as he followed with totals of 51 goals and 52. And while the Leafs did not have team success, Vaive was able to overcome the shenanigans of owner Harold Ballard to excel.
“I don’t worry about it that much, but do I think it should be (retired)?” Vaive said. “Yes. Hopefully it will happen one day. It would be a hell of an honour.
“To have that up there with all those other great players would be unbelievable and would be a fantastic night for my family.”
And Vaive is candid about his one season coaching for Don Cherry’s Mississauga IceDogs in the Ontario Hockey League, in 2000-01.
In the book, Vaive describes the meddling of Cherry; covering the team at the time, Postmedia had regular doses of rumours (also when Jim Hulton and Geoff Ward also had the job as IceDogs head coach) that Cherry had his fingers jammed into every slice of the hockey pie.
Vaive confirms as much, relating various incidents, even describing one phone message Cherry left, telling Vaive he “couldn’t coach a good f—ing peewee team.” Vaive told Cherry it was unprofessional and cowardly.
That’s what makes the Vaive book such an intriguing read. Not uncommonly in athletes’ autobiographies, much seems to have been discarded to the editing room floor.
Not so with Vaive. It’s not that Vaive fills the pages taking runs at people in the hockey world. Now 61, he was more than comfortable taking stock of his life and telling it like it has been.
With the continued support of his wife Joyce and his sons Jeff and Justin, Vaive is in a good place and is heavily involved in alumni appearances (just not during the pandemic), whether on the behalf of the Leafs or the NHL.
What does Vaive — who takes readers through his impaired driving charge in 2009 (of which he was found not guilty) and the aftermath — hope people take from the book?
“I’m not perfect, I have made some mistakes in my life like everybody else in the world and I’m owning it,” Vaive said. “It’s not about hockey as much as it is me as a person. Everybody goes through something that’s a challenge or a hurdle. I’m no different. All the guys playing in the NHL today are no different. We’re normal human beings that happen to have a talent that took us to a place that everyone watched.
“That’s what I want people to know — I’m strong, I overcame some things and that I’m a good person.”