Among the last three Quebecers to have participated in the NHL all-star games, Patrice Bergeron believes that the absence of hockey players from La Belle Province for a second consecutive edition is only a dip in the wave.
• Read also: Worrying situation: no Quebec player at the NHL All-Star Game for a second year in a row
“Hockey is a cycle. There are years and times like these. It’s the same for the draft. There are good times and not so good times,” believes the former captain of the Boston Bruins who is now retired. The forward participated three times during his 19-season NHL career.
His last presence was in 2022, with Jonathan Marchessault and Jonathan Huberdeau.
“There are editions where there are more Quebecers and others where there are fewer,” he adds on the phone during an interview as part of the Kraft Hockeyville program of which he is the ambassador this year. year.
“It is certain that we would like to see greater representation of our province, but this absence does not take anything away from our hockey players. She doesn’t mean they don’t perform. Quebec still has very good players in the NHL.”
The 2011 Stanley Cup champion prefers to drink a glass half full than half empty. The proliferation of elite minor teams in Quebec suggests a promising future, according to him.
Promising future?
“When I return to Quebec and I see that there are several AA teams at my nephew’s level, I think that gives hope for the future. In my day, there was just one in my area. Hockey is still very well anchored in us. It’s in our DNA.”
He hopes that the absence of Quebecers in a second consecutive all-star game is just a bad coincidence.
However, so far it has been a rather disappointing campaign for the most productive Quebec skaters on the circuit. Jonathan Marchessault, of the Vegas Knights, is the only representative in the top 100 of the best scorers. His 40 points place him at 71e rank. The Franco-Ontarian Claude Giroux is at 55e level with 42 points.
For this all-star meeting, it should be remembered that the NHL has selected 32 players. The supporters determined the other 12.