Laurent Dauphin | “I should never have left Montreal”

They say the grass always looks greener on the other side. In this case, it was the desert that seemed more appealing.

After signing a one-year contract with the Laval Rocket, Laurent Dauphin will make a second stint with the Canadiens organization. He left in 2022, convinced that his chances of breaking into the NHL were higher with the Arizona Coyotes. Both organizations offered him one-year contracts of similar value.

“Looking back, I didn’t make the right decision,” he admits to The Press. “When I signed, it seemed logical to me, I thought I would be 12^e or 13^e attacking in Arizona, and the 14th^e or 15^e to Montreal. “

Dauphin was in a strong position. At 27, he was coming off the best season of his career. He had played 38 games with the Canadiens. But with the addition of Kirby Dach and Evgenii Dadonov and the potential emergence of young players like Jesse Ylönen, the offensive spots seemed limited.

It would have been impossible to predict that the following season would be a concert of injuries for the Canadiens. So much so that the team was forced to use 25 forwards.

Even the worst floor manager could tell you: in such circumstances, Dauphin would probably have played several games with the CH if he had stayed.

Meanwhile, with the Coyotes, he only suited up for 21 games. In training camp, the team opted for a format of 11 forwards and 7 defensemen, rather than calling on him. A decision that surprised him.

The transition to Arizona was difficult. He quickly missed the atmosphere of the arenas in La Belle Province. “When you go from the Bell Centre to the American League, in an arena with 3,000 fans, it’s definitely not easy.”

Eurotrip

Leaving Montreal, however, was not all bad. Dauphin always wanted to play a season in Europe, a goal he achieved last year.

“Montreal was still interested, but we really wanted to take advantage of my partner’s maternity leave to spend a season in Switzerland. We couldn’t pass up Ambri-Piotta’s offer.”

His team played in Quinto, a small village of 1,000 residents in the Italian part of the chocolate country. This small community managed to fill the Pista Valascia, the team’s 7,000-seat amphitheater.

“The atmosphere is really different, really intense there. Everyone is screaming and dancing during games. You can barely hear your teammates. It took me a while to get used to it, but on the other hand, it gave me a lot of energy on the ice.”

For the family

Two seasons later, Dauphin returns home. His return comes with compromises. The Quebecer has accepted a one-way contract in the American League, which means that it will be impossible for him to be recalled by the Canadiens during the season.

“At first, I was disappointed not to receive a two-way contract offer,” he confided. “I know I am capable of playing in the National League.”

At least with a one-way contract, the forward knows he won’t have to yo-yo between the NHL and the American League. “My girlfriend is really happy with the one-way contract: now she’ll always know where I am,” Dauphin says with a laugh.

“In Arizona, people would sometimes come and visit us, but by the time they got there, I wasn’t there anymore, because I had been recalled to the National League.”

“I’m at a point in my career where I don’t want to do this anymore, going back and forth,” he adds more seriously.

Dauphin will never know if he could have gotten a two-way contract elsewhere. As soon as he received an offer from the Canadiens, about three months ago, he decided to commit to the team, without listening to other offers. He came to an unofficial agreement before the contract was officially unveiled on March 1^er July.

His priority was to return to Quebec to provide stability to his family and especially to his little boy, just over 1 year old. This return will also allow his girlfriend to focus on her career. She works for a company specializing in transportation in Sainte-Martine.

Still without a coach

If Dauphin found the stability he was looking for with the Rocket, the organization is struggling to do the same behind the bench.

When he unofficially agreed with the Rocket, the Candiac resident believed that head coach Jean-François Houle would be back with the team. The pilot had just signed a multi-year contract extension.

Then, in a dramatic turn of events, less than a month later, Houle left the organization to lead Clarkson University’s program in the NCAA. “It took everyone by surprise when the news came out,” says Laurent Dauphin.

No matter who leads him, Dauphin knows the role he will play. “I will be asked to be a good veteran capable of coaching the youngsters, helping them perform well. And I am ready.”

The virtue he most wants to instill in the Canadiens’ prospects is patience. The world of hockey can be cruel at times. Even when you’re performing well, opportunities can sometimes take time to present themselves.

“You don’t have to think about the opportunities up there, you have to focus on your game. One day, you’re going to get your chance. And when that day comes, you better be ready.”

Laval Rocket captain Gabriel Bourque still doesn’t have an agreement with the team for next season. Could his replacement be Laurent Dauphin?

“Of course, if they offer it to me, I’ll be happy,” he says. “I’m sure they’ll make the right decision. If they choose me, I’m ready for it.”