Andreychuk brings out best in Espo
HAMILTON HALL OF FAMER
TORONTO — Phil Esposito, who was the NHL player upon whom Dave Andreychuk most modelled his style of play, had not returned to the Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies since he entered the Hall himself, 33 years ago.
But he was on site Monday night for one reason and one reason only — to pay tribute to Dave Andreychuk.
That would be Dave Andreychuk of Hamilton, Ontario.
“I would not be here if Dave wasn’t getting in,” said Esposito, who was responsible for bringing major league hockey to Tampa Bay and who, like Andreychuk, was immovable in front of the net. “I didn’t even go when my brother (Tony) got into the Hall. Dave’s meant that much to the franchise.”
Andreychuk, who was captain of the Lightning when Tampa Bay won its only Stanley Cup in 2004, had a mob of family members and friends on hand at the sold-out induction as well as dozens of former teammates from Buffalo, Toronto, New Jersey, Colorado and Tampa Bay.
And they were all so thankful that, after eight full years of eligibility, he had finally been ushered into what is, essentially, hockey immortality.
“It brings me to tears to think of his parents (Julian and Rosalind), how thrilled they are,” Julian’s first cousin Tracey Goliboski said on the red carpet, which led to the induction ceremony. “All their efforts, all the years of taking him to practice, and taking two younger daughters (Sandra and Karen) who would have to come along or be with a babysitter.”
The fourth day of Hall of Fame weekend, the induction day, is always Family Day, and Andreychuk, the first inductee of the evening, reflected that in his speech.
“It starts with my wife (Sue), day-in, day-out, good times and bad times,” Andreychuk said, thanking her and their three daughters, Taylor, Caci and Brooke.
“My parents, both steelworkers, instilled the values that I continue to have.”
Andreychuk said that the circle of hockey was now complete for him and the other inductees — players Danielle Goyette, Teemu Selanne, Mark Recchi, Paul Kariya and builders Jeremy Jacobs and Clare Drake — because now they’re the all-time “role models for kids to see.”
“Nobody thinks, ‘I’m going to be a Hall of Famer,’” he said. “You just think about trying to play in the NHL. You just try to make your team better.”
Which Andreychuk almost always did. He was a key part of the Maple Leafs’ best line (Andreychuk, Doug Gilmour, Glenn Anderson, all Hall of Famers now) from 1992-94, the only time in the last 50 seasons that the Leafs had reached the NHL’s Final Four in back-to-back years.
A few years ago Doug Gilmour told The Spectator that Andreychuk would often deliberately
shoot his first shot right at the goalie’s stick, hoping for a better angle on the rebound. Andreychuk confirmed that tactic over the weekend.
“It’s very true actually,” he admitted. “I did it on purpose, yes.”
Andreychuk scored 640 goals which, when he retired in 2006, was then the highest total by a left winger and is still the secondhighest total from a port sider. His 274 career power play goals are nine more than the runner-up (Brett Hull) and won’t be threatened for years.
But it was his quiet leadership that his teammates and bosses talked about on the red carpet.
Brad Richards, the playoff Most Valuable Player when the Lightning won the Stanley Cup that Andreychuk hoisted before anyone else, was 21 when Andreychuk arrived in Florida and was his roommate that season. Richards said that he, Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier counted upon Andreychuk to calm them when the waters got rough.
“Tampa Bay would not have won that Stanley Cup without Dave Andreychuk,” said Esposito who, being Espo, couldn’t resist adding with a huge laugh: “His statue is now outside the arena with mine, so the pigeons now have another place to go.”