Patrick Roy said it in French and repeated it in English during his pre-match press briefing. He did not see himself as the focal point of the meeting between his Islanders and the Canadian on Thursday evening. But whether he likes it or not, this is the perception that Quebec hockey fans will have of him wherever his destiny takes him. He is the last great legend in the team’s history. The only one still in this world.
Roy noted this during the audiovisual tribute to which he was the subject during the interpretation of the O Canada. The crowd gave him a roaring ovation while images of him in his heyday in the Habs uniform flashed on the giant screens.
But in less time than it takes to say it, the Canadian led 3 to 0 and the crowd was jubilant!
Still.
Too bad for the Senators!
For those aged 40 and under, Maurice Richard, Jean Béliveau and Guy Lafleur are images on film. But they witnessed Roy’s exploits at the Forum. They saw him give the Canadian his last two Stanley Cups, that of 1986 and that of 1993. They saw him repeat the feat with the Colorado Avalanche, in 1996 and 2001.
For many, the Habs should never have traded Patrick. Seeing the backdrop in the colors of the Islanders during his meeting with the journalists, some undoubtedly wished that the backstage was the one bearing the CH logo. Michael Andlauer may have said to himself that it should have been the one in the colors of the Ottawa Senators.
Roy did not flinch one iota when I questioned him about the comments of the owner of the Senators, who admitted during an interview with a Gatineau radio station that he regretted a little for not having hired him. He responded that he was happy to be with the Islanders and that he was giving them his full attention.
Andlauer should have told his hockey men to think about it when it was time instead of wanting to wait until after the season to examine the file for the next head coach.
Bad mistake!
The big move was made by Lou Lamoriello. Roy also praised the merits of his new boss and Jacques Lemaire, who will undoubtedly be of valuable support to him.
A real NHL coach
It’s a different coach than the one we saw with the Colorado Avalanche that we saw on the podium. Roy was composed, thoughtful and in full possession of his means. He now looks like a real NHL coach.
A long experience of ups and downs is behind this. Yes, he might still slip up, but that’s specific to the character he is. It won’t change at all anyway.
Look at John Tortorella.
He’s calmer than his days with the Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks, but the fire still burns within him. He wants to win at all costs.
It’s the same thing for his former protégé Martin St-Louis, who must feel very alone at times, however, behind the bench of a team in reconstruction.
Rare fact
He and Roy came to the bench of NHL teams with great reputations as players. These are two Quebec members of the Hockey Hall of Fame who faced each other last night.
It’s rare!
It may never even have happened.
There is a saying that great players don’t make good coaches. There may be some truth in that. “Toe” Blake, winner of three Stanley Cups as a player and mastermind of eight Cup conquests 13 years behind the Canadiens bench.
Knowing Roy, he dreams of winning the cup as a coach. It is one of the rare feats of arms missing from his record, another being an Olympic gold medal.
Will he succeed in making the Islanders a championship team?
At first glance, this seems unlikely. If so, he’ll have to hurry, because he has an aging team on his hands.
But count on him to transmit his passion to his players.