Patrick Roy's big return to the National Hockey League was expected. And he absolutely deserves it.
• Also read: A highly anticipated “royal” visit to Montreal
• Also read: Returning to Montreal: Patrick Roy wants to protect his players from distractions
His story is not an everyday one. He has all my respect for his career as a player. We all know his accomplishments on the ice, he has four Stanley Cup rings and is in the Hall of Fame.
Patrick has such a passion for hockey that he decided to become a coach after hanging up his football playing side. He did brilliantly at the helm of the Quebec Remparts and won the Memorial Cup in his first year. That's quite an achievement because it's a very difficult trophy to win, I know that.
After his eighth year he had the opportunity to make the jump to the NHL with the Colorado Avalanche. He also had an exceptional first season there in 2013-2014, winning the Jack Adams Trophy, awarded to the best head coach. Unfortunately, his time in Denver ended badly. He returned to his classes in the QMJHL. It shows how humble Roy is despite his immense status. And it proves that he does his job with passion.
Impressive tenacity
His journey reminds me of mine and that of my good friend Alain Vigneault. Like “Casseau,” we decided to come back after our time with the Montreal Canadiens to play in the lower levels while we waited for another NHL team to call. It takes humility to make such a decision in the hope of one day being at the highest level again.
The difference between Patrick and us is that we had to work to support our family, while Roy is financially independent.
I don't know many people with the same status as him who would have done that. In his second mandate with the Remparts, he once again proved that he is an excellent coach by managing to win the Memorial Cup again.
Roy certainly had doubts in his second experience in the junior ranks, but he persevered and is being rewarded for his efforts today. I would like to congratulate him on this impressive persistence.
When CH was looking for a successor to Dominique Ducharme, Roy thought he would be the lucky one, but ultimately wasn't chosen. Then he had to ask himself what else he needed to do to get back into the NHL.
Readier than ever
Instead of giving up on the idea, he took a step back to make better progress later. It is to his credit that he took the time to recharge and work with the young people of the new generation. That's why he's more ready now than ever.
I am confident that Roy will succeed on Long Island. Because of his playing and coaching background, he gives the Islanders instant credibility and brings a breath of fresh air to the National League.
This nomination goes to Lou Lamoriello. Strong men like him are not afraid to surround themselves with strong people. Roy was always well supported in Quebec, especially by his friend Jacques Tanguay. As well as Patrick was surrounded by the Remparts, he will also be well surrounded by the Islanders with Lamoriello at the helm and Jacques Lemaire.
His life is about sitting behind an NHL bench and passing on his love of hockey and his will to win to his teams. “Coaching” is a way of life. It's worth doing in the NHL. This is especially true in his case.
Lemaire, master of innovation
Patrick is a curious man who asks a lot of questions and finds out everything. He will be lucky enough to work with Lemaire, a man for whom I have great respect. Jacques has always been a reference for me. He is a luminary in the NHL.
When I was managing director, I spent a day with him in the summer so he could explain his vision and new trends to me. Lemaire always knew how to innovate. Because I wanted to stay current, Jacques was important to my career.
By the way, I don't understand why the Canadiens didn't retire Lemaire's jersey despite all his contributions to the organization. If there is anyone who deserves such an honor, it is him.
Despite all the attention focused on him in recent days, Roy was still able to save the Canadiens like he had done so many times in front of the net. Since we're only talking about him, CH's poor performances in the last three games go unmentioned.