“When you hit a home run in New York, it’s a grand slam.” It is with this image that the general manager of the Big Apple team in the new Professional Women’s Hockey League describes the magic of the city.
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“It’s a big beast to tame,” confirmed Pascal Daoust on Wednesday during a videoconference, on the eve of a very special activity in the heart of the megalopolis.
The unveiling of the captain, Micah Zandee-Hart, Canadian Olympic champion in Beijing, took place Thursday at the famous Rockefeller Center ice rink, in front of the immense illuminated tree that we so often see in Christmas movies.
Michel Bergeron often repeats: “In New York, everything is bigger.” Daoust and the other Quebecers in the organization fully realize this.
“A lot of people stopped to look at us and film us,” he told Journal the team services manager, Katia Clément-Heydra.
Photo credit: Photo taken from the X account @PWHL_NewYork
Two houses
Daoust recognizes that it will be a big challenge to make yourself known in this jungle where there are a thousand things to do. For this inaugural season, the New York club will play its home games in two arenas, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Elmont, New York, home of the NHL’s Islanders. More than an hour’s drive separates the two amphitheaters.
“It’s grist for the mill, these are things that will facilitate the support of our members, to make us seen and known,” he said. the former GM of the Val-d’Or Foreurs, in the QMJHL. There is even the Empire State Building which will light up in our colors. It’s no small thing when something happens in New York.”
Photo credit: Zoom screenshot
Four French-speaking players
Daoust and Clément-Heydra are not the only Quebecers in the New York team. There is Christophe Perreault, the director of recruitment and advanced statistics, but there are mainly three players.
Élizabeth Giguère, Jade Downie-Landry and Alexandra Labelle, all from the draft, experienced euphoria in downtown Manhattan on Thursday.
It remains to be seen if the three forwards will form a trio like Gilbert Perreault, Richard Martin and René Robert did in the 1970s with the Buffalo Sabres, in the state… of New York.
The female “French Connection” could even expand to include Frenchwoman Chloé Aurard.
“The three Quebec women are not here because Pascal Daoust is here. They are here because they deserve to be in the best league in the world and they deserve to be part of this team,” assured the manager.
Photo credit: Photo provided by the LPHF
Two offensive machines
The latter specifies that the three met expectations during training camp and that they convinced staff members who did not know them.
Giguère, who wore the Canadian uniform last year during the Rivalry Series against the Americanswas selected by Daoust in 28th place due in particular to her “offensive, her experience and her NCAA background”, but also for her “intelligence, her ability to see the ice rink at 360 degrees and to distribute pucks everywhere”.
“When she decides to take her second and third gear, all her intelligence and her execution emerge,” analyzed Daoust.
As for Downie-Landry, last season’s top scorer for the Montreal Force, in the defunct First Hockey Federation, and Labelle, Daoust knows them well. When he was an assistant coach with the Université de Montréal Carabins, he faced the former, who played for the McGill Martlets, and coached the latter for five campaigns.
“Jade, my God she gave everyone behind the bench heart attacks because you knew she could change the game in one flash, one play. You should never underestimate her when she the puck and you must never lose sight of her when she doesn’t have it,” explained the GM.
“We know [que Labelle] brings intelligence, responsibility, respect for game by 200 feet, by 85 wide, by 17,000 square feet. She is disciplined, she is an outstanding teammate and she is capable of having her offensive touch.
With American Alex Carpenter, there should be plenty of goals this season in New York.
Photo credit: Screenshot, PWHL (LPHF)
Almost a quartet
Defender Christine Deaudelin almost joined the trio of Quebecers, but despite a good camp, she was cut.
“On a bus, we can’t all be seated in the seat behind the driver, we have to occupy different seats,” Daoust imagined. Christine has things to offer in this league, the only dilemma is the number of chairs available.
“In the short or medium term, for athletes who will stay in shape, who will stay ready, there will certainly be opportunities,” said Daoust.
2023-12-22 01:15:25
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