From the rink to the paintbrush: ex-goalie Richard Brodeur talks about how painting “saved” him

Former goaltender Richard Brodeur, who played in the NHL after playing for the Nordiques during the World Hockey Association era, says the paint probably saved his life. The man nicknamed “King Richard” returns to Quebec where he presents his works for the first time.

After playing for the Vancouver Canucks, Quebecer Richard Brodeur, 71, settled in Western Canada. It is from this place that he lets his imagination run wild by painting paintings that are sold around the world.

“No one is a prophet in his country, but here I come back to us. It gives me great pleasure to be here. I have two passions in life, apart from my family. I played professional hockey and paint professionally. I count myself really lucky,” he shared in an interview with Le Journal.

For nearly 25 years, he has made a living with his art which is inspired by his childhood memories and the landscapes that marked him.

“I always had a love of painting,” he says.

Depression problems

He admits today that this passion was his salvation.

“I had problems with depression for thirty years. I’ve had 13 concussions in my career. So it left its mark. I don’t take any medication. I control myself. When I paint, I don’t think about anything else. It saved me. At one point, it was black and if I hadn’t had that, we don’t know,” he confided.

“I don’t hide it. I have a lot of my friends who have the same problem and I tell them, talk about it, it’s the best thing you can do.”

Mr. Brodeur began speaking publicly on this subject two years ago.

Arts

His interest in the arts dates back to his childhood.

“I come from a family of eight children. When the weather wasn’t nice, my mother always had coloring books and drawing books that she put on the table and I always loved doing that,” he said.

Except that the world of hockey in the 1970s and 1980s was not so compatible with the artistic career which was dormant at home at that time. It was therefore several years later, once retired, that he was finally able to devote himself to his passion for painting.

In Quebec, he presents around fifteen paintings at La Belle Galerie, on Saint-Paul Street, from February 3 to March 3 and he will be present at several times to meet the public.

Still passionate about hockey

Impossible to talk to Richard Brodeur without talking about hockey, especially with the return of Patrick Roy as head coach in the NHL.

“I’m very happy for him. I’m sure he’ll do a good job. He is more mature than the first time,” added the former goalkeeper.

“He’s a warrior. When he played, we called him the “Warrior”. It doesn’t come out of the DNA. I love playing golf, even though I don’t play as much as I would like, but I’m still competitive. It stays there. It’s the same thing for him.”

Richard Brodeur nicknamed “King Richard”

• 71 years old
• Position: Goalkeeper
• Professional career from 1972-1988
• Native of Longueuil
• He played for the Islanders, Canucks and Whalers where he finished his career
• He made it to the 1982 Stanley Cup Final defending goal for the Canucks
• He also played for Quebec Nordiques during the World Hockey Association era (from 1972 to 1979)
• The painter now lives on Vancouver Island, but he regularly returns to Quebec