(Newark, New Jersey) It all started with a very innocent question from Jonathan Bernier, the Montreal Journal. AJ Greer meets the media after the Devils’ morning practice, in view of the match against the Canadian.
Posted at 1:06 p.m.
The striker, recalled Wednesday from Utica, was already particularly generous in his responses. It was there that the colleague simply asked Greer if his family was still in the Joliette area.
Greer lists his relatives, in Oka, Repentigny, Joliette. Then he leaves.
“My mother works at Ciment St-Laurent, in Joliette. They are on lockdown right now. It’s a very difficult situation for me and my family, ”he begins, his voice knotted with emotion.
“My mom works so hard. She’s been here since she was 18. She could drop everything, because she is close to retirement. But she works and she forces herself to go to meetings, she works for the union and she pushes for the other employees.
“A lot of people would have given up. It shows character, respect. It’s a very difficult situation and I hope it will be resolved soon. They’ve been picketing forward for two years and the company doesn’t want to know. It’s difficult financially for everyone. There are people who have children, who receive a hundred dollars a week. I hope it will be resolved quickly. Me, I play professional hockey, I have a very good life and it disgusts me that people go through situations like that. »
Greer ended his flight with a heartfelt “I love you, Mom.”
A parallel with Dolphin
Several Devils forwards have fallen in action lately, leading to Greer’s recall. After Jack Hughes and Nate Bastian on Sunday, it was Jimmy Vesey’s turn in the final game. With 50 points in 50 games with the Utica Devils, Greer has positioned himself for a recall.
At 25, he now hopes to seize his chance to fulfill his dream of making it in the NHL, a dream that seemed within reach when the Colorado Avalanche drafted him at 39and rank in 2015. Except that his journey has been complex since: admitted to Boston University, he left the establishment in the middle of his second season to join the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. Since joining the pros, he has played 43 NHL games and 275 in the American League.
Greer said he was inspired in particular by Laurent Dauphin, his good friend, with whom he could reconnect Thursday evening on the ice rink at the Prudential Center. Beyond their repechage rank (Dauphin was claimed at 39and rank in 2013), the two players have in common to have worked for a long time in the American League. Dauphin was rewarded for his perseverance this season by playing 34 games with the CH, his highest total in a season in the NHL.
“Laurent is an excellent player, one of my good friends. We played midget AAA together, we were in the same association in pee-wee and bantam. I have a lot of respect for him, he works so hard, he had his ups and downs and he never gave up. It inspires me, that’s for sure. And he plays for Montreal, it’s a dream for him.
“It’s inspiring for me and it gives hope to everyone. A guy like that, who never stopped working, who did a few organizations, who arrives in Montreal and who has a season like this… I’m happy for him. »
Devils roster in practice
Sharangovich-Hischier-Bratt
Tatar-Zacha-Mercer
Kuokkanen-Boqvist-Zetterlund
Greer-McLeod-Johnsson
Siegenthaler-Severson
Graves-Hamilton
Smith Subban
Hammond