It took 50 years, and it was value each minute for Vic Mercredi to see his face on an NHL rookie card.
Mercredi is one among eight Indigenous NHLers to be featured within the First Peoples Rookie Card collection, from buying and selling card firm Upper Deck. He nonetheless performs hockey casually together with his youngsters and grandkids, nevertheless it’s been 5 full a long time since he was drafted by the Atlanta Flames.
The image on his card encompasses a younger Mercredi — a photograph taken again throughout his first day of coaching camp, for the aim of playing cards and applications.
“50 years later? Better late than by no means,” Mercredi mentioned with a chuckle.
“It is kind of an honour to have one thing like that at this level in my life.”
As phrase of the cardboard unfold, Mercredi mentioned his members of the family and buddies have been calling him up at his residence in Yellowknife to congratulate him.
“It’s been well-received, so clearly I’ve received to get the playing cards out to them,” he mentioned. “For my grandkids, truly, after they first checked out it they’d no concept who this particular person was.”
Aged out at 21
Mercredi is Métis. He was 20 when he was drafted in 1973, and was the primary hockey participant born within the N.W.T. to play within the NHL.
He recalled separating his shoulder in his first yr with the league. Though the muscle groups healed, it wasn’t till two and a half years later that he found he had a damaged shoulder bone — an element that led to him leaving the NHL.
“At that point, again in ’74, that is when the NHL was drafting 18-year-olds … so that they had been going younger. So at 21, I used to be an outdated man,” he mentioned.
“I simply determined that the chance wasn’t there any extra. I used to be married, we had a toddler, and I simply did not wish to drag the household round America to play hockey.”
The Trailbreaker11:05Interview with NWT hockey participant Vic Mercredi
50 years after Vic Mercredi was drafted within the NHL, he is lastly received his personal hockey card. Vic was the primary hockey participant born and riased within the Northwest Territories to be chosen within the draft. He went on to play for the Atlanta Flames. Now he is one among eight gamers featured in a brand new set of NHL First Peoples Rookie Cards. It options Indigenous former NHLers who by no means made it on a card. Vic joins us this morning in studio.
Mercredi’s card comes together with playing cards for fellow former NHLers Ted Nolan, Jason Simon, Dan Frawley, William LeCaine, Johnny Harms, Danny Hodgson and Rocky Trottier.
In a information launch earlier this month, Upper Deck mentioned the playing cards could be distributed in a number of methods, corresponding to at Indigenous hockey camps, at video games the place Indigenous Alumni groups play, and at First Row Collectibles, an Indigenous-owned passion store in Winnipeg.
“We’re thrilled to provide these iconic Indigenous gamers the popularity they deserve and get the playing cards within the palms of excited neighborhood members,” said Upper Deck president Jason Masherah in that information launch.
For Yellowknifers, Mercredi mentioned he is received a field of playing cards at residence that he is giving out to individuals who need one.
