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His eldest daughter stayed in Texas
"Our choice was more complicated than expected"

by Guy Carbonneau with Jean Bouchard
for 7 Jours, September 20, 2000
posted May 15, 2001

Carbo is newly with the Canadiens. He who now holds the post of Director of Young Player Development will finally have a job that lets him stay near his family. Only one shadow has been cast over him: he had to leave one of his daughters behind.

The return of Guy Carbonneau to Montreal marks an important turning point in his life. At 40, he already has to deal with the idea of one of his daughters no longer living under the family roof. If you know the strength of the ties between Line, his wife, and their two daughters, Anne-Marie and Kristina, and him, you can easily imagine the heartbreak he is going through.

Q: Guy, was it difficult to make the decision to return to Montreal?

A: Yes, although at the end, things became very specific. The proposition the Canadiens made me was by far the more interesting one. As to whether to live in Dallas or Montreal, that’s pretty even: I like to live here; on the other hand, the lifestyle and the temperature in Dallas are very pleasant. The most difficult part of course was having to leave our eldest, Anne-Marie, all alone in Texas. At first we thought it wouldn’t be too bad, but when it came time to make the decision, the separation was no longer so easy to envision.

Q: I imagine Anne-Marie wanted to live her own life. Wasn’t she thinking about studying in Montreal last year?

A: Indeed. Later, she wanted to go to Stanford, in California. She was also accepted to the University of Texas in Austin, about four hours from Dallas. Finally, last spring, just before the playoffs, she started dating Brenden Morrow, and she decided to study in Dallas.

Q: I believe you always dreamed of coming back to Montreal to finish your playing career…

A: Yes. That’s why we kept our house here. Also, Line works for a company based in Montreal. The situation with Anne-Marie made our decision more complicated than expected. But sooner or later we were going to have to face this eventuality.

Q: You have to cut the umbilical cord!

A: Exactly. The more we thought about it, the less it made sense to stay in Dallas just to be able to live with our 18-year-old daughter. And then, there’s no telling whether Brenden won’t be traded some day! Are we going to follow her wherever she goes? Of course not. It was a matter of doing the reasonable thing. My daughter now flies with her own wings, and in the final analysis, we are very happy with our decision.

Q: Which was hardest: giving up your career or being separated from your daughter?

A: To hang up my skates was a decision less difficult to make. It was time for me to retire. For now, I have no regrets and I no longer feel the need to train like in the past.

Q: Could you have played another year?

A: Yes. I had another year left in my contract, and the Stars wanted me back. Physically, I was still capable of it, but mentally, I felt a little tired. I preferred to retire before an accident happened to me. As I have often told my wife, you want to leave the game on a positive note. As for the last seasons I spent with Dallas, I couldn’t have asked for better. It was better to go freely before I was asked to hang it up.

Q: And before becoming a grandfather?

A: (Laughs.)

Q: How did you react when you learned your teammate and your daughter planned on living together?

A: I didn’t have a problem accepting it. Keep in mind that, having hung around with Brenden for a year, I got the chance to know him quite well. When I saw that there was something between him and Anne-Marie, I went to see him. The situation embarrassed him more than me. He didn’t really know how I would take it. I reassured him. I know the type of guy he is. If he was a bad sort, I can assure you it would have been more difficult for him! (Laughs.)

Q: Did your teammates kid you about it?

A: They picked on Brenden, not me. I should mention that he didn’t know exactly how to start his relationship with Anne-Marie. It was during this period of indecision that the other players teased him. But everything got straightened out. Brenden is going to buy a house, and Anne-Marie is going to live with him.

Q: After having spent 20 years traveling, weren’t you tempted to take a year off?

A: If I hadn’t had offers and opportunities, I would probably not have minded that. But come to think of it, I would have found it a long time. To spend the winter here or in Dallas, with nothing to do, it would have been fun for a month or two. After that, I would have been bored. The off-season is a little bit like a sabbatical, a rest period. After 20 years, at the end of the summer, I’m eager to get back to work. Bottom line, as a break, that’s enough for me. Maybe I would have like to wait a little before making my decision, but the opportunity was there, and I had to decide quickly. I don’t regret it and I’m sure I’ll have a good time doing my new job.

Q: Being able to travel less, was that one of the conditions of your taking one job over another?

A: Yes. I didn’t want to start doing something like coaching. Maybe one day I’ll find myself wanting to get behind the bench, but for now, I want to take a break, stop with the intensive traveling. The position I took will allow me to stay close to hockey without being away so much. I’ll be away more at the beginning, as I get to know all the players in the organization; later my travel schedule will be lighter.

Q: And how did the move go for your 12-year-old daughter Kristina?

A: Not too easy at the start. She wasn’t too crazy about the idea of coming back "full time" to Montreal. With time, she’ll get used to it. It was the same way when we went to St. Louis and to Dallas. As soon as the children have a couple of friends, there are no more problems. And when she’s back in school, no doubt, she’ll make plenty of new friends.