Chapter Text
Despite his lack of hesitance in leaving Boston for Ottawa, Ilya Rozanov does actually know a thing or two about team loyalty — he really was just more loyal to Shane than the Bears.
Once his plane landed in Boston after the most magical summer of his life (one of the only ones he'd ever spent truly happy), Ilya was determined to take every moment of this year working towards his goal of living closer to Shane. Outside of that goal however, he was also determined to leave the Bears on a good note. They had believed in him — drafted him as the first pick, gave him a ticket to a life out of Russia, made him captain at 23, and followed his leadership to a Cup. Plus on top of all this, in a way the Bears had given him Shane.
So despite Shane's honest concerns over it, Ilya was determined to leave with his head held high and doing the right thing.
"Before we get too far into negotiations and all that, I wanted to inform you personally that I do not intend resign with the Bears or extend my contract at the end of this year."
The board room looked at him a little stunned. Hell, Ilya's own agent looked at him more than a little dumbfounded.
"Rozanov" The GM said while clearing his throat, "I am… deeply disappointed to hear that. I know the last few playoff runs have been a little lackluster, but I hope you know we've come prepared to offer not only a pay increase to your contract but we are already working on a detailed trade plan to beef up our defense pairs to make the team competitive again"
"Is this some kind of bargaining tactic?" The assistant GM spoke up.
"No. I am planning on signing with a new team that I know will take me if I ask. I am sorry, but there is no money that will sway my need to move. I am telling you as… professional courtesy so management has additional time to prepare and rework strategy. I still fully intend to make a run for the Cup with the Bears this year."
"What team could you possibly want to move to?" The GM said incredulously.
Ilya paused before sheepishly admitting, "Ottawa." No more than 3 different people audibly gasped and two repeated the name back to him, his own agent included.
His coach looked at him thoughtfully, considerably less flustered than the suits in the room. "Roz, is this about the team or… something else?"
Ilya appreciated LeClaire deeply. He knew once he left, the city would never forgive him for the betrayal, but he hoped Coach and the team would understand. One day.
"No. I umm" Ilya didn't really know how to phrase what was coming next without full honesty, but did his best. "After the death of my father, I have no remaining family that I still speak too. But the closest thing I have to family, lives in Montreal and they cannot move to Boston."
"And Montreal won't take you." Coach said plainly.
"Exactly." Ilya didn't argue. "So… Ottawa."
"You'll never win a Cup with them." The assistant GM said. Ilya felt that was an unfair take. Sure the Centaurs prospects were notoriously bad, but so had Bostons been before they had gotten Ilya. He'd built one team from nothing, he could do it again. Maybe Shane's Canadian-ness was rubbing off on him however, because Ilya politely didn't mention this to the GM.
"I care deeply about hockey, I do and I am dedicated to this team. But the death of my father among other things last year showed me that there are still more important things than hockey." He almost chuckled imagining what their faces would do if they knew that Marlow's hit on Shane had more to do with this realization than the death of his father. But Ilya knew his boyfriend and didn't have a death wish.
The GM and the rest of the management team that had gathered for the meeting all looked at him as if he had grown a second head, but Coach LeClaire looked at Ilya with a hint of fondness. His own twin daughters had been born a year prior, so Ilya hoped that maybe he got it.
"We could just trade you this year. Your 5 year contract didn't include a no-movement clause." The assistant GM spoke up.
"You could." Ilya held his notorious Slavic stare while responding to the man.
"But I also could have not told you this until much later in the season, or waited till free agency entirely. I am telling you because I respect this team and I do still fully intend to push for the cup this year. As you said, it might be my last." For only a little while, Ilya respectfully didn't add. "But I hope you won't."
The GM merely shifted back in his seat, assessing Ilya. The man must have seen determination in Ilya's eyes, known this was a battle that was already over, and maybe looked on with just a hint of respect.
"Well gentlemen, I think we need to rethink our plan for the next few years. Rozanov, thank you for the heads up. I appreciate a man that's honorable. Now why don't you go get to practice." The GM stood up and shook Ilya's hand on the way out.
~~
A month later, after the last pre-season game Coach LeClaire took him aside to deliver the news.
"They would normally let your agent tell you this but I asked to be the one to do it. You're being traded, kid. I'm sorry"
"Fuck." Ilya had known giving them a heads up was a gamble, but he'd known it was the right thing to do. Still, it was going to be annoying to play for fucking Buffalo or whatever backwater team they sent him too for a year. In the grand scheme of things though, it still didn't significantly affect Shane's plan despite being one hell of an annoyance.
Coach continued. "I tried to talk them out of it as much as possible, but you know I don't really have all that much power over these kinds of things. I did however talk them into an alternative that I think you are going to like over their original plans."
Ilya only paused, raising his eyebrows to encourage LeClaire to continue.
"I talked them in to offering you to Montreal and the Voyageurs went for it. Offered us two defensemen and a pretty good pair of draft picks for you too." Ilya blinked.
"Montreal?"
"Yeah, it's pretty wild. I didn't actually expect them to go for it, but at least this way you can be close to your… family right?" LeClaire paused and looked down the hall, ensuring they were alone. "Listen. Between you and me, it sounds like Montreal management is having some concerns over Hollander since the off seasons and see this as way to test the waters on you to potentially be his replacement if they need. See how the year goes for you, you can still always leave for Ottawa at the end of your contract like you planned."
Ilya frowned slightly. He knew Shane had come out to the team shortly after training camp had ended this summer, but Shane had assured him that the team was mostly taking it well. That they just needed time to adjust. This told a very different story.
Unaware of Ilya's inner conflict, Coach LeClaire continued.
"Well kid, it's been wonderful working with you. I would've loved to coach you until your retirement but I wish you the best in Canada. I am proud of the man you've become." Coach slapped him on the back and leaned in conspiratorially. "Whoever she is, I hope she's worth all this."
Ilya smirked slightly. Montreal Jane was a pretty widespread secret throughout the gossipy halls of the Bears organization.
Ilya just nodded and walked to collect his things from his locker. Shane was going to kill him.