The chance to become commissioner of the QMJHL came into Mario Cecchini’s life rather accidentally.
It all started on December 23rd. Due to the terrible weather conditions, there was no electricity in his house.
His cell phone rings. At the end of the line one of his longtime friends. During the 45-minute phone call, he talks to him about how the QMJHL works.
“On December 19, I found out that my contract as president of the Alouettes had not been renewed,” explained Mario Cecchini.
“Then I have this conversation with my friend who told me I had the qualities necessary to replace Gilles Courteau who was leaving his post next season. My family agreed and the idea started to grow in my head.
Specific Criteria
The QMJHL governors had an exhaustive set of criteria for hiring their new commissioner.
If you’re reading it, Cecchni ticks several boxes despite never having had a job in the hockey world.
“We wanted someone with collaborative leadership. Specific knowledge of ice hockey was not a requirement,” stressed the President of the General Assembly, Richard Létourneau.
“It’s a bit like the history of my mandates,” Cecchini added. I’ve been in a situation like this before when I had to move to Toronto in 1997 to accept a position as President of Corus Radio.
“I was the Quebecer who landed and didn’t know the market. It was the same in football with the Alouettes.
“It doesn’t scare me to be someone who doesn’t come from the hockey world. It’s a good thing because you won’t be “contaminated” by regular language. You have the right to innocence and to ask any question.
rescue mission
After some interviews, he is the nominee to be selected by the Board of Governors. He received the confirmation on March 1st. He is inspired by a certain relief and we can understand that very well.
During the selection process, he was on a rescue mission with the Alouettes as president. A situation that was anything but obvious.
Cecchini was blithely thanked by owners Gary Stern and those in charge of the Sid Spiegel estate in December, and reinstated by the CFL a few weeks later.
“We had to manage the team. The league asked me to help them without pay, confirmed the QMJHL’s new commissioner. It was clear that we would need new owners.
“I came back for Danny Maciocia and all the other employees. The supporters too.
Unanswered emails
Cecchini weighs his words when discussing the former owners. However, given his comments, we quickly understand that the Alouettes have been struggling.
Overnight, Stern and attorneys for the Sid Spiegel estate stopped responding to requests from Alouettes and CFL employees. For example, over 150 emails from the finance department went unanswered.
That mess left General Manager Danny Maciocia in a sticky spot just hours before the free-agent market opened. We know the rest of the story.
A few days into his job with the QMJHL, Pierre-Karl Péladeau put the finishing touches on the team’s purchase. In addition, the latter paid tribute to Cecchini’s work during his speech last week.
At the Alouettes, Cecchini will have had his share of pitfalls with the pandemic and uncertainty among owners. Even as commissioner of the QMJHL he will have some.
Once again he will be accountable to the owners while being judged on the achievement of his goals.