What a joy to see Jonathan Marchessault hold up the Conn Smythe trophy in front of his loved ones, including his teary-eyed father.
• Also read: Jonathan Marchessault’s relatives enjoy his triumph
• Also read: Marchessault succeeds for the first time since Wayne Gretzky
Marchessault absolutely deserves this award. He had some exceptional achievements, including scoring important goals for the Golden Knights.
At 5’7″, he’s the little bulldog of Vegas. He is also the perfect match for Center Jack Eichel. Marchessault is loved by Eichel as much as Brad Marchand is loved by Patrice Bergeron at the Bruins. He’s disruptive, he scores when it counts, and he’s angry when he loses.
With 26 points, the American could have been named playoff MVP, but Marchessault’s 13 goals (25 points total) probably made the difference.
And when Commissioner Gary Bettman announced the number 81 as the Conn Smythe winner, Eichel gave his teammate a congratulatory hug. The scene said it all.
A first Quebecer in 20 years
Marchessault is not only the first undrafted player to receive the award since Wayne Gretzky in 1988, but also the first Quebecer to win the Conn-Smythe since Jean-Sébastien Giguère in 2003. That’s 20 years!
The former Mighty Ducks of Anaheim goalie who I work with at TVA Sports was also very happy for Marchessault.
The latter also joins Patrick Roy, Claude Lemieux, Mario Lemieux, Mike Bossy, Guy Lafleur, Bernard Parent and Yvan Cournoyer, all Quebecers named playoff MVPs.
Not the easiest way
The course of Marchessault also has a lot to offer. A native of Quebec’s Cap-Rouge district, he was selected in the 12th round of the Remparts of Quebec in the LHJMQ. Only seven other players were selected after him! At that time he was only 1.75 meters tall and weighed 65 kilograms. This did not prevent him from developing further under the direction of Patrick Roy.
Never drafted into the NHL, Marchessault went through the American League and had no real luck with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Tampa Bay Lightning. Then the Florida Panthers let him go to the Vegas Expansion Draft… How ironic!
A city of winners
Six years later, Marchessault and the Knights are NHL champions, as their owner Bill Foley predicted. The team was largely built through contracts and signings. Among the most notable are certainly Eichel and star defender Alex Pietrangelo.
Chairman George McPhee, who served as the team’s first chief executive, has a lot to do with the club’s success, as does current CEO Kelly McCrimmon and head coach Bruce Cassidy. What an adventure for the former Bruins driver who was sacked a year ago. After watching his former squad endure a historic season, he’s the one to lift the Stanley Cup!
While it’s easy to lose out in an empty-pocket casino, Vegas has also proven to be a winner’s city. And when I looked at Renaud Lavoie near the Knights dressing room, everything seemed simple, nothing was complicated.
In health
The Knights were also much healthier than the Panthers. Matthew Tkachuk played mostly despite a broken sternum. He needed dressing from his teammates and ultimately didn’t play in the last game.
But even if Tkachuk had been there, in great shape, the carrots would have been cooked. The knights were too strong. Even their fourth goalkeeper, Adin Hill, was up to the task.
The Panthers outsmarted the pundits by reaching the finals. They entered through the back door, much like the St. Louis Blues did in 2019, eliminating Boston, Toronto and Carolina. You can be proud.
– Interview by Mylene Richard
Echoes of Bergie
Patrick Roy was still being ignored
I don’t know how Patrick Roy feels, but personally I’m discouraged. I can’t believe he still hasn’t found a job in the NHL after winning it all with the Remparts. I really saw it at Rangers. But no, his ex-teammate Chris Drury preferred him as an old hand in Peter Laviolette. I have nothing against my former New York defenseman, but he is on his sixth team in the NHL. He has to be a real salesman to convince people to give him another chance. Roy didn’t even have an interview! He’s done his mea culpa and won’t make the same mistakes he made in Colorado. There are still a few coaching positions to be confirmed. In the meantime, Roy will be playing golf. And good luck to Simon Gagné, who will take charge of the Remparts, as well as to Nicole Bouchard, who will officially become assistant to the GM. A first in the QMJHL. I’ve known her since the Nordiques days and she has dedicated her life to ice hockey.
CH and the hot potato
The Canadian could steal the show in the repechage, the first round of which will be presented on June 28th. We expect a bang from the CH. Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton will likely want to avoid Matvei Michkov. According to many experts, the Russian attacker would pose a threat. The DG of the Habs might therefore want to improve their rank. If he speaks ahead of the fifth election, no one could blame Hughes for not picking Michkov. But it will be very expensive.
From statistician to commissioner
I recently had the opportunity to attend the Gilles Courteau party in Sherbrooke. The new commissioner of the QMJHL, Mario Cecchini, was present, as were several of Gilles’ relatives. He is happy with his decision. He led the QMJHL for 37 years. I’ve always had a good bond with him. It must be said that when I was 17, I hired him as a statistician with the Draveurs de Trois-Rivières. Between classes, Gilles gave me the stats and ordered the food.
