Brian Gionta was 31 when Jacques Martin named him captain of the Canadiens. Before Pierre Gervais embroidered that letter on his vest, he had played the assistant role last season in Montreal and in the past with the New Jersey Devils.
• Also read: Gionta’s lesson
• Also read: Nick Suzuki wants to learn French
• Also read: Nick Suzuki is a leader at heart, according to his former coach
At the start of the 2022-2023 season, a season focused on rebuilding, Nick Suzuki inherited the title of captain. At 23, the Ontarian wrote a page in team history by becoming the youngest CH player to receive this honor.
In a recent interview with the Journal about PK Subban’s retirement, Gionta looked back on his four-year tenure as Montreal captain (from 2010-2011 to 2013-2014).
“I loved every second of wearing the ‘C’ in Montreal,” said the former right winger. But I wasn’t at the same stage of my career as Suzuki. i was older I had prepared for this. »
Young but smart
Gionta took a second or two to think before offering advice for the No. 14 Habs.
“I would tell him to take advantage of it. It must swing to the rhythm of this city and its responsibility, said the American. Nick doesn’t have to change like everyone else. If he was given the title of captain, it was because of his qualities as a leader and as a person. He earned the respect of his teammates, the organization and the fans. »
“I think he will remain himself because he seems to me to be a very intelligent young man. He also knows Montreal, he’s been playing there for three years. He has tamed his environment and also understands the importance of this team for the population. This also includes dealing with the media. Despite being young, he has experience in this market,” he added.
A dream
A native of Rochester, USA, Gionta will always hold a special place in his heart from his time with the Canadiens. We can still feel the pride in his voice today as he looks back on his years in Montreal.
“I was a little boy from upstate New York who loved hockey as a kid. First, because of my size, I didn’t think I would make the NHL. Second, I didn’t expect to play for such a respected team. And thirdly, I couldn’t imagine ever being the captain of this team. »
“Yes, I really thought it was something special. I knew the history of this team. The Canadiens are not a market like any other in the NHL. I wasn’t at the level of the organization’s big players like Jean Béliveau, Maurice Richard or Guy Lafleur, but I took this role to heart. I wanted to represent the team well. I enjoyed my discussions with supporters on the streets of Montreal. I bore this letter with enormous pride. I wanted to give something back to the city. »
According to Koivu and Weber
Last year, Shea Weber remained captain of the CH. Wounded, the miner had kept this role symbolically. He was more of a ghost than a leader. Like Suzuki, Gionta was in a transition period after Saku Koivu’s departure to Anaheim in 2009-2010.
“It wasn’t easy to follow in Koivu’s footsteps,” said Gionta. He was a hero in Montreal with everything he went through in his life. I didn’t want to replace Saku, I just wanted to play my role my way. »
“When I started in Montreal in 2009-2010, Jacques hadn’t identified a captain. He chose assistants with Andrei Markov, Michael Cammalleri and myself. He wanted a transitional period to give us time to understand this city and this market. »
“In my second season, Jacques asked me to be a team captain. Suzuki isn’t old, but he has even more experience as a Canadian than I did when I took on this role. I was in my second season at CH. »
French: a matter of respect
Like Saku Koivu, Brian Gionta has never offered an interview in the Canadian’s dressing room in Maurice Richard’s language. However, the Rochester-born winger exchanged greetings in French with reporters before the cameras arrived.
On the phone, the 43-year-old opens the conversation with “Hello, how are you? »
It’s him. He hasn’t changed. And later in the conversation he comes up with his classic answer: definitely (absolutely).
From his home in Buffalo, Gionta still keeps a close eye on Canadian activities. He knew Nick Suzuki had put a few words in French on the day of the team’s golf tournament and that he was determined to learn the language.
some effort
In his eyes, there is no question that the new captain made the right choice.
“I’ve always kept an open mind. With my wife we wanted to have the cultural experience of Montreal and Quebec. I wanted to live an immersion. Before I became captain, I had hired a French teacher who came to the house once a week for the family. I’ve tried to learn, I’ve tried. For me it was a sign of respect. I said small words or short sentences. It was a sign of respect and courtesy. Sometimes it’s just to say thank you. »
“You win the hearts of the fans even more by exchanging simple words. I advise Suzuki to put in some effort. Will he be bilingual? I do not know. But when he says he wants to do it, I think that’s very clever of him. He respects the population in which he practices his profession,” noted Gionta.
“My kids went to a French-speaking daycare center and spoke to friends in the neighborhood in French. That always made me happy,” he recalls.