No one has seen even a hint of a sibling rivalry.
Not on the ice, not in the locker room, and not on the team bus. Not a sneer, a jeer, nor a single tear.
“And you would think there’d be something, right? Something?,” joked Nailers head coach Derek Army. “But there’s been nothing. They actually like each other, I guess.”
Army’s talking about Cedric and Felix Pare’, both forwards for the Nailers who were born only 14 months apart just outside Quebec City and along the St. Lawrence River. Now that both are on the Wheeling roster, it’s the first time they’ve worn the same jersey in more than a decade.
They used to fight as kids. They don’t fight anymore.
“We got over it,” Felix insisted. “And we’re too busy having fun right now.”
Felix returned to Wheeling for a second straight season after recording seven goals and seven assists in 54 games last year, and so far the 22-year-old has contributed three assists in nine games.
Cedric, meanwhile, began his 2022-23 season with the Belleville, IL. Senators but was signed by Wheeling more than a week ago. In his one and only ECHL season in 2020-21, Cedric scored 40 points in 67 games for the Utah Grizzlies.
“Cedric is a high-end player who has played consistently in the AHL, so we going to put him out there while he’s here. Seeing them get to play together for the first time in a while is a lot of fun for all of us,” Army said. “I don’t know how long he’s going to be here but I doubt it’s very long, so I hope they have a lot of fun out there.
“Felix has been incredible for the Nailers and he’s a player who will go out and do what you ask him to do, and he even had a fight in our (Sunday) game and he had a good fight at a point in the game where our team needed picked up,” he explained. “He brings energy and every team needs that player. He’s definitely that player for us.”
Paint the Town
The Pare’ brothers now are roommates at the Boury Lofts on the corner of 16th and Main streets and Felix has been in charge of entertainment since Cedric’s arrival.
Granted, last weekend the Nailers were quite busy with three games in three days, but the two have managed to find time for some recreation.
“We like to eat,” Cedric revealed with a laugh. “Wheeling is not a big city, but there is good food here and more places not too far away.
“We like the all-you-can-eat sushi at a place in Washington (Pa.), but we’re going to Golden Chopsticks, too,” little brother Felix said. “That place is very good, and I know my brother will love it.”
That takes care of the food. Now, what about the hockey?
“I’ve been here in Wheeling for a week now and it’s been awesome to play with Felix, and Wheeling has a good team. Very fast,” Cedric insisted. “He and I enjoy playing together now, too, because it’s not happened often in recent years because we’ve been playing in different places since we both grew up.
“But he’s always told me that here in Wheeling it’s a great place to come play because everything is right here near the rink and that lets us walk a lot to where we want to go,” he said. “I haven’t had that a lot since I started playing professional and it’s really a cool thing. No wonder my brother likes it here so much.”
One Big Bird
Felix and his older brother Cedric are French Canadians, and they do celebrate Thanksgiving. Just not how, or when, their American teammates do.
“We do have fun with some of the traditions with our American teammates, but I don’t really like turkey that much,” Felix said. “It’s really dry to me so thankfully you Americans like your gravy. That makes it better. A lot better.
“Last year, I just hung out with the boys since we play the night before,” he said. “And we will do again this year so that’s what we will do. We’ll have a meal with them and then we’ll watch football together. It’s a good time.”
“But our Thanksgiving at home is in October, not November,” Cedric said. “We have had big meals but it’s different than here. Here it’s a bigger deal, but I’ll be with Felix and that will be fun. Our parents are getting to see us together and they’ve enjoyed that very much. I’m really glad I came here.”
How it all worked out is an interesting tale to tell, and his impression of the “Nailer Way” is something of an endorsement for future young players to consider.
“I went back to Belleville for the start of the season, but they had a new general manager and that complicated everything with my contract, so I left,” the older brother explained. “Then my agent asked me if I wanted to go to the ECHL and play with my brother for a while and I thought it would be fun and that’s exactly what it’s been.
“Wheeling is a good city, so we’re making the most out of it for now. How long I’ll be here, I do not know,” Cedric added. “The fans are great, and the rink is very nice. The way Felix explained it sounded too good (to be true), but everything he’s told me is true. There are expectations here and that’s not always true on this level, but that’s what makes (Wheeling) a special place for pro hockey.”
