Canadians’ current leaders appear to have understood what their predecessors stubbornly refused to see. Wearing the Canadian uniform offers Quebecers opportunities they cannot find elsewhere. Which inevitably encourages self-improvement.
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“Playing for the Canadian is an honor and a pride. “When I was little, my dream was to play for this team,” said Samuel Montembeault. It’s normal, it’s the team we saw on TV as a child. »
“I’ve never had the opportunity to play with so many Quebecers in my career,” said David Savard, who also played in Columbus and Tampa Bay. It’s fun to get back together. »
Rafaël Harvey-Pinard, Alex Belzile, Steve Bégin, Mathieu Darche, Francis Bouillon. Over the years, most Quebecers who wore the blue, white and red uniform were recognized for their hard work. As if for her, putting on the tri-color sweater came with the responsibility of getting high.
“We grew up here,” remembers the Bécancour goalkeeper. We know how important the Canadiens are to fans and how much the entire province watches. That’s why we put pressure on ourselves to perform and meet the team’s standards. »
The Gallic village
Quebec stands out as a Gallic village among the large English-speaking majority in the rest of America. So who will give a local child a chance if the Canadian won’t open the doors for them?
“It is important that the organization gives a player from Quebec a chance if he is as good as another,” Savard said. Why not give him the chance to play at home? It is a very special feeling to be able to perform in front of your loved ones and friends. »
The Canadian defender makes a good point. Hockey is no different than any other workplace. Contacts are often important in order to move forward. Furthermore, Montembeault is good evidence of this.
“If I hadn’t known Marco Marciano (the Rocket’s goalkeeping coach), who I worked with in the youth ranks, I might not be here. It’s sure it helped,” argued Montembeault, who claimed waivers from the Florida Panthers in October 2021.