La Force de Montréal hasn’t played a single game yet, and they’re aiming for nothing less than the championship. Currently, his potential success rests with his leadership group.
Posted at 3:40 p.m.
The first game of the Montreal team of the Premier Hockey League (PHL) will take place in Buffalo, against the Beauts.
A lot of work has already been done upstream and now it only remains to see if the efforts will bear fruit.
Some might have thought that the team would enter this new era of Quebec women’s hockey with relatively low expectations, since no one really knows what to expect. However, the team has great ambitions, as team captain Ann-Sophie Bettez revealed on Tuesday during a media availability: “Our primary goal is to raise the banner of the championship. »
The formation has taken shape over the past few weeks. Players who have come together with the Force share a great quality that unites everyone, Bettez believes. “We are extremely competitive people, who want to win and who want to learn. We want to improve day by day and it is exactly the identity and the culture that we want to put forward throughout the year. »
While there will be tweaks along the way and a bit of building the plane mid-flight, Bettez enjoys the challenge of launching a new franchise. She’s aware the Force is “going a bit further” than some teams, but she’s comfortable with the product the club will bring to the ice Saturday in New York State. “One thing is certain, it is that the competition is really rooted in us. We want to win every game,” added Bettez.
Play at home, but away
One of the peculiarities of the Force is that it will take up residence in different regions of Quebec. Their parent company officially remains Center 21.02 in Verdun, but only the opening game will be played there. Otherwise, the other 11 home games will be played away from Verdun. The cities of Sept-Îles, Rimouski, Rivière-du-Loup, Saint-Jérôme and Québec will take turns hosting the team for a weekend.
According to head coach Peter Smith, this can be a double-edged sword.
“It’s a very good opportunity to make ourselves known across the province, he says first. I think the players also want to take advantage of this opportunity. Some of our games will be played where players were born, like Ann-Sophie when we play in Sept-Îles. »
On the other hand, “we will not be at home for 23 of our 24 games”.
The importance of a strong group
To get through this extraordinary situation, the Force will have to rely on its group of leaders. According to Bettez, everyone can contribute because “all the players have already been leaders in their former teams. Several have been captains or assistants.
She also made a point of specifying that even if it is she who was going to wear the “C” on her sweater, it is essential to be well surrounded to better advance.
Smith agrees. Its main objective is to “build chemistry between the players and a good relationship between the group of coaches and the athletes”. According to him, everything starts from there. “We have a leadership group and they’ve done a great job so far. »
With a historic start to the season just days away, the Force must now pull out all the stops to perform well on the ice, because in the end, that’s all that matters.
The head coach says the preparation on the ice went well. The core of players are welded and ready to step into the arena.
For Ann-Sophie Bettez, before baptizing a new franchise, it is more the fulfillment of a lifetime that will come true on Saturday: “It’s a dream for me to be paid to play hockey. Before, we were volunteer professional hockey players. Now it’s different. »