Exclusive: Andrew Raycroft Scouting Report

At a family barbeque this weekend, I was enjoying the finest hotdogs money can buy, when one of my uncles name-dropped again.

See, Andrew Raycroft is from Belleville. And since he’s the city’s only resident NHL hockey player, that makes him the most famous guy in town.

And my uncles, Chuckles and Murph, live next door to the Raycroft family, where Andrew has been staying all summer. Naturally, that means I get an update anytime the Leafs’ newest goalie takes out the trash.

“Yeah, I saw Andrew again the other day,” Chuckles yawned, the languorous action of a man accustomed to meeting NHL players on a routine basis. “He’s looking good.”

Murph, flopped beside Chuckles in his Adirondack chair, nodded sagely. “He’s a great kid,” he added through bites of hamburger. Meef-meef, morf. “It’s great when your eight-year-old can take shots on former Calder winner. Andrew even showed us his trophy,” he bragged.

Chuckles got down to brass tacks. “Andrew though, he’s been working out this summer in his backyard, just like Rocky Balboa and his side of beef,” he said.

“Balboa,” echoed Murph. “Takin’ shots.”

“I talked to him. He looks just like a kid, you know. Without his gear on, he looks like a kid – anyway, I asked him how it was going, with his training and everything. And Andrew, he was dead serious. ‘I want Ottawa’, he said. He looked right at me, and said, ‘I want Ottawa.’ He looked like the Terminator or something. Watch out for Raycroft this year.” Chuckles lectured.

“He’s going to get the start,” Murph said.

“That’s right. Opening night, against Ottawa. Andrew wants it. I know it, I asked him. ‘Are you going to be ready?’ And he looked me right in the eye and said, ‘Oh yeah, I am.’ He wants Ottawa bad,” said Chuckles. "He's ready. Gerber is going to be pooping in his diapers, you'll see."

“This year is going to be different,” said Murph, throwing his beer can into the weeds. “Chuckles and I watched Andrew develop, when he played for Kingston. A goalie hadn't been the MVP in the CHL in 50 years, and then Andrew did it. He’s excelled at every level he’s ever played at. He’s a winner and always has been,” he burped.

“ ‘I want Ottawa’,” Chuckles marveled. “Hey, are there any hotdogs left?”