The job that Éric Veilleux has accepted is a very special one: the successor to Patrick Roy. But for his former assistant with the Halifax Mooseheads, Sylvain Favreau, there is no candidate better equipped for the task than he is.
Favreau, who recently assumed the position of head coach at the Voltigeurs de Drummondville, worked with Veilleux during his only season at the helm of the Mooseheads, 2018-2019.
He then met a “passionate and detail-oriented” trainer who is also confident in his abilities.
“If anyone can replace Patrick Roy, it’s him,” he said in a phone interview with Le Journal. I am more than confident that he will be up to the challenge. He is someone who has a high level of confidence and has the knowledge to back it up. He has everything you need to manage young players.”
A wealth of experience
In the days leading up to the announcement, the Quebec Remparts general manager had stressed the importance of the team’s next head coach having experience.
Another box that Veilleux ticks according to Favreau.
“He brings a lot of work experience with him. He was an assistant coach and head coach in the American Hockey League. Our task in the junior area is to take young people to the next level. If anyone knows what it takes to get there, it’s Eric.”
A fan
Veilleux has earned a reputation as a strict and tough coach over the years. Which isn’t entirely wrong, Favreau agrees, but it also comes with a downside.
“He is a passionate coach with an eye for detail. He demands the maximum from his players, but he does it right. He is also a coach who can trust his assistants and gives them a lot. He is thirsty for new ideas. He is a career and experienced coach who knows where he wants to go. I grew a lot through coaching with him and he became a friend.
In 2019, the Mooseheads hosted the Memorial Cup tournament. The team reached the finals of the President’s Cup, where they lost to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies and then made it to the final game of the Memorial Cup, once again dropping the flag to their rivals in Abitibi.
“I saw him in person in 2019, he brought out the best in every player all year, right up to the Memorial Cup.”