Fifteen years ago, in March 2008, the Saguenay was vibrating to the rhythm of the playoff series between the Quebec Remparts and the Chicoutimi Saguenéens. This series has indeed gone down in history, unfortunately for the wrong reason.
• Read also: No fighting: Nick Suzuki doesn’t understand the QMJHL
• Read also: “Binnington was a guy my weight, he wasn’t a Lehner or a 6’7″ guard” – Marc-Andre Fleury
• Read also: Unsightly scene: parents come to blows during a hockey game in Plessisville
The images have gone around America: Jonathan Roy crossing the ice to attack Bobby Nadeau, following a gesture from Remparts coach Patrick Roy, Jonathan’s father.
“The first memory that comes back to me is Richard (Editor’s note: Martel, the Saguenéens coach) standing on the tape, signaling me not to fight,” said Bobby Nadeau in an interview with TVA Nouvelles, 15 years later.
The former Saguenéens goaltender, who will celebrate his 35th birthday this week, is now a dentist in Kingston, Ontario, where he specializes in root canal treatments. During a generous 25-minute interview, he talks about the event in a neutral tone, without bitterness.
“I don’t blame Patrick, and I don’t blame Jonathan, even if without Patrick’s signal, Jonathan doesn’t cross the ice,” said Bobby Nadeau.
The famous scene occurs in the second period of the second game of the series. The Saguenéens, ahead 7 to 1, are on their way to tying the series 1 to 1. A fight involving the 10 players on the ice breaks out, and Jonathan Roy, who has just conceded three goals quickly after entering the game, goes to his own blue line. He is retained by a referee, but the latter ends up leaving him to intervene in the other fights.
The TVA camera near the Remparts bench then captures the image of Patrick Roy, pointing his hand towards the opposing net, while his son crosses the ice.
“I definitely saw Jonathan coming,” said Nadeau. There are a thousand things that go through my head, whether I fight or not, but I also didn’t have to get out of my match. If it’s Kevin Desfosses [NDLR: le gardien titulaire des Remparts cette année-là] who is coming, of course I am fighting, but not with the reserve goalkeeper!”
“I thought to myself that at worst, he was going to brake in front of me to grab me and invite me to fight.”
“All the stars were aligned”
Jonathan’s intention is quite different. He grabs his opponent by the mask, pulls it off, and immediately thrashes him with a dozen punches.
“It quickly became too late for me to react,” explained Bobby Nadeau. So I tried to protect myself as best I could.”
Fifteen years later, the victim takes a lucid look at the event. His performance in subsequent matches was affected, but mostly due to the media sheer volume. On this weekend of Easter 2008, the images roll in a loop on the news channels continuously. Political reactions are numerous, and supporters of the Saguenéens file complaints against Jonathan Roy for assaulting Bobby Nadeau at the Saguenay Police Department.
“All the stars were aligned, analyzed Bobby Nadeau. Patrick Roy is one of the great keepers in history, his own son is involved. But me, I found myself with about twenty microphones and cameras under my nose without being warned of anything. My parents received calls at home from journalists from English Canada and even from the United States. I would have liked a call from the league, for advice on how to manage all of this, for me and my family, and even to help the organization of the Saguenéens. A 19-year-old hockey player is not prepared for all of this.”
The next match, at the Coliseum in Quebec, did nothing to help Nadeau clear his mind. The league asks the two teams to hold their warm-up period separately, but Richard Martel only delegates his starting goaltender and one other player. Two Saguenéens, who feel very alone under the boos of 15,000 supporters.
“I never understood Richard’s idea,” admitted Bobby Nadeau. We could have had a discussion about whether I was able to play, or whether I needed a rest. After the event with Jonathan Roy, I felt great guilt. I felt like I had let my team down.”
The Saguenens were finally eliminated after six games. Nadeau played his last year as a junior with the Prince Edward Island Rocket, where he did well enough to earn an invitation to camp with the Vancouver Canucks.
Not against fights
Jonathan Roy’s assault prompted the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League to tighten its rules. Curiously perhaps, Nadeau is not in favor of a pure and simple abolition of combat.
“If we remove them, there would be more bastards, he believes. We are talking about head injuries, but are there only fights involved? A player receives a lot of checks during his career.
In October 2009, Jonathan Roy pleaded guilty to assault. He had received an absolute discharge.
“I never saw him again, and I would like to participate in an arranged meeting,” said Bobby Nadeau.
“If I saw him again, I think we would shake hands and find a way to laugh about what happened.”