It was late Monday, Kim St-Pierre was recovering from his emotions after giving a heated speech for his admission to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
“The woman who takes care of us arrives, it’s the end of the evening, we are all hungry. The children see her with a big box in her hands and say: “Pizza!” She said: “No, sorry, it’s the plate!” ”
The plaque in question is one of three memorabilia she received upon being admitted to the Toronto institution. The other two: the jacket she wore Thursday night, when it was presented to the crowd at the Bell Center, and the famous ring.
“The plate is beautiful, it’s big, you get your hands on it and it’s special,” said St-Pierre, a cross before Thursday’s Penguins-Canadian game. “At the Temple, the plaques are displayed in the Great Hall. You see all the pictures of the other inducted players, and that’s where you realize, “I’m part of that, of the story.” I saw the Maurice Richard plaque by Jacques Plante. ”
For the cause
St-Pierre does not have to be ashamed to have been admitted, the eighth player, but above all, the first goalie to enter Toronto. She helped Canada win three Olympic gold medals and five World Women’s Championship titles. She posted an average of 1.17 and an efficiency of .939 in the Canadian uniform.
But his speech has mainly served as a platform to address girls, whether they play hockey or another sport.
“I would like to express my admiration for women in the sports world who break down barriers. Your determination gives us confidence and encourages us to work hard, ”St-Pierre testified in the last minute of his speech. ” […] Now it is our responsibility to ensure that women’s hockey continues to grow. We all dream of a professional women’s league, and now is the time to make it a reality. The players work hard and deserve to be able to live their dream to the fullest. Never stop fighting for what you believe in; you will be rewarded. ”
Listen to Kim St-Pierre’s speech
For the former babysitter, it was a way of defusing what she describes as a “bizarre” situation.
“I played a team sport… You win and you lose as a team. There, I find myself alone. It was a weird feeling. That’s why I wanted to take the platform and promote women’s hockey, congratulate the women who break through. That’s why my speech turned on it at the end. It was the perfect place. ”
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, THE PRESS
François Legault talks with Kim St-Pierre.
St-Pierre was itself inspired by Patrick Roy, but above all also by Manon Rhéaume. “I had inspirations. If that inspired me, we can inspire the next young women. ”
Big week
St-Pierre is not ready to forget this weekend in Toronto, which allowed him to know the other inductees of the 2020 vintage (the ceremony last year had been canceled due to the pandemic).
Jarome Iginla is so kind to my children, Marian Hossa too. Kevin Lowe spoke to them in French. Doug Weight, the big class. It was interesting, and it looks like they got to know women’s hockey.
Kim St-Pierre
St-Pierre participated in the 2002, 2006 and 2010 Games, the same as Iginla. “We ran into guys, but we never took the time to talk. His father is really nice. On Friday night, we were invited to the Leafs game, our two families shared a large dressing room. ”
All of these events culminated in the induction, which St-Pierre experienced “like a gold medal match”.
“I knew it was a big day, I slept well. In the morning, the inductees, we were on the stage to see what it looked like. I wanted to be ready, I concentrated alone in my room, I did some visualization. When I arrived on the scene, I wanted to enjoy the moment. And there, it was Danielle Goyette, my teammate, who introduced me. She said to me, “Let’s go, Kim.”
“I had confidence in my speech, I had worked so hard. I just wanted to do it the right way. And from the start, the crowd got on board, applauded me, it gave me confidence. The crowd has risen. I did not know what to do ! ”