Three years ago, the Tournoi Pee-Wee de Québec was one of the last major events to take place before the world was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. After that, however, the organization suffered two major setbacks: the cancellation of the tournament in 2021 and its postponement to May 2022.
• Also read: Quebec Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament: Record attendance expected on Saturday
Rather than give up, General Manager Patrick Dom and his entire team rolled up their sleeves and worked hard in the corners to present what they call “the tournament of tournaments” for the event’s return to normal. .
“We had to talk about ourselves,” says Mr. Dom in an interview with the Journal. It’s too easy to be forgotten. It was three years. »
The tournament begins on Wednesday at the Videotron Center with 120 participating teams including 70 new ones. And even before the first kicks are given at 9.15 a.m. on Wednesday morning, Patrick Dom can be happy.
unexpected helping hand
The pee honcho has been overwhelmed for a few weeks, but his organization has never made as many headlines as this year, he says.
Of course, the presence of 18 Ukrainian players helped increase the popularity of the event. The idea, worthy of a Hollywood scenario, was born in the minds of the team’s coach, Yevgeny Pysarenko, and Sean Bérubé, a Quebecer who once played ice hockey in this Russian-bombed country.
“It came to help us without us wanting it,” points out the general manager of the pee-wee tournament, who welcomed the idea with open arms.
“We really packed the package”
And parallel to this unexpected presence, Patrick Dom and his organization worked on other initiatives to highlight this 63rd edition.
Mr. Dom is particularly excited about the creation of the all-female department (see below), which was announced with great fanfare at a press conference in January.
The icing on the cake for the general manager is the presence of Canada goalkeeper Carey Price, who will use his long convalescence to sign autographs on Saturday 18 February.
A general manager who has seen snow after 22 years at the top of the tournament. Nonetheless, after a canceled edition and another lackluster spring, Patrick Dom will never have been happier braving February’s snowstorms and cold than this year.
“I don’t know what we’re doing [pouvoir faire de plus] Next year. It’s the year of all years. After drooling, we really packed the package and I think we deserved it,” he enthuses.
The brave team of Ukraine
Photo Stevens LeBlanc
The Pee-Wee team from Ukraine arriving at the Videotron Center last Wednesday.
They arrived in Quebec a week ago, where they were warmly welcomed by their host families, but also by the whole city. This Saturday, the 18 children of Ukraine, consisting of young refugees from all over Europe and ice hockey players who still live in the bomb-torn country, will experience their moment of glory.
The Videotron Center could show a full house of 18,000 for its game against the Boston Bruins Juniors at 11:45 a.m. It would also be a first in the long history of the pee-wee tournament.
“We had 53 accreditation requests from international media for the 11th edition. It’s fun, but it’s a headache,” says the event’s general manager, Patrick Dom. I don’t even know where to hold the press conference. The room we normally use is already occupied and also far too small. »
But well: if the arrival of this unexpected team is a challenge for the organization, especially since the departure, Mr. Dom is very happy to be able to put balm on “all the crap” that the young people have lived for a year.
The grandson of a legend and other household names
Photo archive, Ben Pelosse
What also makes the Pee-Wee tournament famous year after year are these famous former hockey players who manage teams or watch their children – and even grandchildren – play from the stands.
They should be back in large numbers at this 63rd edition of the event. Among the known descendants of great legends of the circuit we find the
Grandson of former Canadian Ken Dryden.
Like his grandpa, Blake is a janitor. He is defending the colors of Mid Fairfield’s Junior Rangers in the AAA division. Also seen behind the bench is Ryan Kesler, the former Canucks and Ducks who manages his son Ryker with the Detroit Red Wings, also in the AAA.
Many coveted jerseys auctioned
Archive photo, Martin Chevalier
Patrick Dom is also enthusiastic about the number of autographed jerseys that will be offered during the traditional silent auctions on Saturday and Sunday as well as on February 14th and 15th.
“Normally we have maybe 12. Here we have 19, and they’re all National League leaders,” he says.
Notably on the list are Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield.
“We started working on it very early on, we took further steps this year,” says the managing director. That was also part of our ambition to make everything bigger this year,” emphasizes Mr. Dom.
The dedications of a big star
Image from the Pee-Wee Tournament website
Patrick Dom explained it last week: It wasn’t very difficult to convince him Carey Prize spending a day in Quebec to sign autographs alongside Denis Savard.
The Canadian’s goalkeeper, who suffered a serious knee injury, is “very eager” to experience the Pee Wee tournament, according to the managing director, who is delighted with the great visit.
Price and Savard get their pencils rolling on Saturday, February 18 from 1:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m., and next weekend hockey fans can meet Caroline Ouellette, Billy Smith, Pierre Turgeon, Charline Labonté, Chris Chelios as well as Kim Saint-Pierre.
An all-female department
Image from the Pee-Wee Tournament website
For the first time in the history of the event, an all-female division will be honored in Quebec. And when we say “with honor,” that is indeed the case. The participants of the 12 teams from Canada, the United States and Europe even have their own logo that they will wear on their helmets. Four teams come from the provinces: the As from Quebec, the Amazons from Laval-Montreal, the Stars 55 from Mauricie and the Stars from Laurentides-Lanaudière.
“Girls, this will be fun,” says Patrick Dom. I can’t wait for her. You too, we want you to enter through the front door. »
The first game, which sees the Stars 55 take on New Brunswick team Fury SEFHA, is tomorrow at 11:45am.
The dedication ceremony for the women’s division will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Videotron Center.
To mark the occasion, the match between the Aces and the Atlantic Selects will be officiated, timed and announced by women.