Michel Bergeron dreamed of seeing Patrick Roy walk down Broadway to coach a Rangers game at Madison Square Garden, as he himself had done many times during his coaching career.
But for “the Tiger”, it was especially important that Roy find a position in the National League, so on Saturday, shortly after the news of his hiring was announced a few kilometers further away, with the Islandersthe colorful hockey man had little care for the destination.
He was happy, even if he felt “a little sorry for Lane Lambert [l’entraîneur-chef que les Islanders ont congédié et que Bergeron a dirigé]a former member of the Nordiques, who is a worker.
Photo Getty Images via AFP
“I’m happy for Patrick,” said “Bergie” to Newspaper. He deserves to be in the National League. We heard all kinds of things, that he was stuck in the NHL. But he’s a winner, and he’ll bring credibility to the Islanders.”
“The Senators, tabaslaque!”
For a while now, Michel Bergeron, analyst at TVA Sports, was publicly campaigning for Roy’s return to the big circuit.
Archive photo, QMI Agency
And if he is very happy to see him join the Islanders, the former face of the Nordiques could not help but deplore the decision of the Ottawa Senators not to hire him, who recently named Jacques Martin as interim head coach, following the firing of DJ Smith.
“The Islanders are a team that is not getting any younger… while the Senators, tabaslaque! If they had hired him, he would have advised them on everything! he said. Even for the draft: he knows all the young people, he comes from junior hockey,” insisted “Bergie”.
An “incredible” rivalry
Bergeron also believes that the rivalry with the Canadian would have been “incredible”.
“We will never be able to relive the Canadian-Nordiques rivalry, all the same. I defend my heritage! he added with a laugh. But it sure would have been quite a rivalry.”
We allow ourselves to reassure “the Tiger” here: don’t worry, Mr. Bergeron, it is now rather certain that your fiery heritage will remain intact… whatever might happen some evenings, between the Canadian and the Islanders.