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Fleury now stresses positives in life

Dislikes James sentence but looks forward

By: Melissa Martin

Posted: 03/23/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

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Phil Hossack / Winnipeg Free Press Theoren Fleury in action Thursday night against a team of police officers.

The timing is strictly coincidental: a court date and a charity event, one planned without the input of the other.

On Tuesday, a man walks into a downtown courthouse. He tries to block the media cameras with his palm, but they get the picture anyway: an ashen face desperately concealed beneath a red neck-warmer, eyes glaring dark and hard.

Only two days later, another man walks into a Portage Avenue sports bar, seawater eyes wide open below the brim of a knit grey tuque. The media are waiting for him, too, this Thursday afternoon. But he's so at ease in his Ed Hardy hoodie and jeans, so comfortable back in his old Winnipeg stomping grounds that he strolls past -- at first -- unnoticed.

As he does, an organizer with the Legendary Hockey Heroes touring charity hockey team slips up next to a group of reporters. "Theo won't be taking questions about... well, it's a sensitive issue," she says. "I'm sorry, guys. We have to be respectful."

But the story being this story, and the media being what we are, the cameras ring close around this former Calgary Flame and the microphones jab at his chin and the question is asked anyway: Two years in prison? Really? For everything that happened to him and to his cousin Todd Holt?

And Theoren Fleury, he doesn't flinch, the set of his jaw doesn't flicker an inch.

"I think the whole country of Canada has shown us what we need to do," Fleury says Thursday. "The justice system is incredibly flawed. But despite the verdict... (the case) has brought an incredible amount of attention to sexual assault all across Canada. It makes my heart sing every day."

And there's this to make his heart sing.

On Thursday night at the MTS Centre for the oldtimers charity game against the Winnipeg Police Service's Patrolmen hockey team, the 2,000 kids, parents and hockey fans lean to the edge of their seats as Legendary Hockey Heroes leader and sportscaster Rod Black introduces the team.

"He is a champion," Black says, as the spotlights flash down on the ice -- referring to Fleury's Stanley Cup ring. "And he's a champion in a lot of other ways as well."

And with that, Fleury surges onto the ice, flying.

The arena explodes into cheers.

Earlier in the day, Fleury praised the new Winnipeg Jets crowd. "I know they pick a guy every night (to jeer), and I guarantee you I would have been the one guy," he said with a smirk.

For a moment at the charity game, it comes true: "Theoren," comes the taunt, from somewhere in the MTS Centre's lower bowl. "Theeeeooorrreeeennn."

If Fleury heard it, it doesn't show. Instead, he blocks a pass and gathers up the puck on his stick, dipsy-doodles around the Patrolmen's blue-line and dumps the puck off for teammate and former New York Ranger Ron Duguay.

No helmet. Huge grin. Feet flying.

Along with the other Legends players, he helped raise thousands of dollars for children's charity the Dream Factory that way.

He takes the ice in his old Manitoba home, skates flashing in the spotlights, parents holding their children to the glass to cheer as he streaks by.

It's the new story, now, for Theoren Fleury. He's spent so much energy on the ugly part already. He's talked so much, and tweeted so much, and written and sang and fought so much.

And yet, as the camera lights click off at the afternoon press conference and the media glide away to interview other players about other things, Fleury smiles a little. He knew the questions were coming, and it's OK. Now that the sentence has been handed out, he still has so much more to say.

"I'm only interested in elevating the conversation," Fleury says, pointing to the eight million survivors of sexual assault in Canada and their stories, and what they need to find justice. "I'm tired of the conversation. I'm tired of talking about Graham James. Because I don't live there anymore.

"I'm happy, and joyous, and free."

melissa.martin@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 23, 2012 A4

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