"King Richard" Reimagined: How Vancouver Canucks Goalie Richard Brodeur Found His Second Calling in Art

From the Crease to Vancouver Canucks Royalty

If you were watching hockey in the early 1980s, you remember “King Richard”. The goalie for the Vancouver Canucks, Richard Brodeur, played like every save meant something. Before his playing days with the Canucks, he’d already made his mark—winning a Memorial Cup and the Jacques Plante Trophy with the Cornwall Royals, then starring for the Quebec Nordiques in the old WHA.

When Vancouver acquired him, Brodeur became the heartbeat of the team’s 1982 Stanley Cup run. Fans still talk about Spring 1982—King Richard’s awe-inspiring stops, fierce focus, the way he seemed to carry the entire city of Vancouver on his shoulders. Three team MVPs later, Brodeur wasn’t just a goalie anymore. He was part of Canucks folklore.

A Hidden Creative Side

What most people didn’t know was that Brodeur had another outlet all along. Between road trips and practices, he painted—quietly, almost secretly. Back then, hockey culture didn’t leave much room for an artistic side, but for Brodeur, it was a way to slow things down and clear his head.

Painting Hockey’s Heartbeat

After retirement, Brodeur leaned fully into that passion. His artwork, especially his Childhood Memories series, captures everything Canadians love about the game of hockey—frozen ponds, snowbanks, and kids chasing the puck under beautiful winter skies. They’re simple, nostalgic, and unmistakably heartfelt.

A Legacy Beyond the Ice

These days, Brodeur’s story isn’t just about stopping pucks—it’s about what comes after an illustrious NHL career. He found a new way to celebrate the game that shaped him. And maybe that’s what makes “King Richard” so memorable: he’s still showing us what hockey means, just with a brush instead of a blocker.