Against all odds, the Montreal Canadiens reached the Stanley Cup final in 2021. But despite appearances, Dominique Ducharme was not the man for the job and he never was, judge Pierre Gervais. He adds that it is above all thanks to the players that the fans have been able to reconnect with hope for the first time in 28 years.
In the book Inside the locker room, Gervais revisits without filter the 35 years he spent as manager of the Sainte-Flanelle equipment. The beautiful and the less beautiful. Inevitably, he scratches a few members of the organization, including Ducharme, head coach of the club from 2021 to 2022.
Gervais maintains that he did not put his stories on paper to hurt or gratuitously criticize his former colleagues. He does this because he believes the supporters deserve the truth. “I meant the real deals. I didn’t want to write a rose water book. The world has the right to know. »
Paraphrased by journalist Mathias Brunet, the 61-year-old looks back on the euphoria of the summer of 2021, when the Habs surprised the hockey world by reaching the Stanley Cup final.
A course which, internally, did not serve the cause of Ducharme, we learn. As soon as he took office, replacing Claude Julien, the Quebecer displeased the players. Moreover, Gervais says that everyone was surprised by his appointment. The locker room believed it was Luke Richardson who was going to be promoted.
The arrival of Ducharme threw a cold shower. Not because he is a bad person, but because his qualities as a head coach were not unanimous, says Gervais: “Dominique is a bad, good guy, a good hockey head, I have no doubt about it, but not everyone is ready to be a head coach. »
In the book, Gervais portrays Ducharme as an uncharismatic, disorganized and distant coach. “When you’re a head coach, you have to know how to communicate, you have to be interested in guys, you have to be passionate,” he says.
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, ARCHIVES LA PRESSE
Dominique Ducharme
However, he judges, the presence and attitude of Ducharme behind the bench of the Canadian have weighed down the general atmosphere and the desire of the players to fight for him. “I imagine everyone in our environment was seeing the same thing. We live together seven days a week, so everyone saw that, everyone lived that. It was so easy to see on TV. We were flat all the time. »
He believes that it was during the series against the Vegas Golden Knights that the Canadian played his best hockey in 2021. When Richardson led the team and Ducharme had to be absent due to COVID-19. “Honestly, I sincerely wish him [de revenir dans la LNH] and I hope that I will not have contributed to it not happening, ”says Gervais nevertheless.
Contribution of veterans
If the Canadiens propelled Quebec into playoff fever, it’s entirely thanks to the veterans, says Gervais. He names Shea Weber, Carey Price and Corey Perry as the centerpieces of this Cinderella story.
“We had an extremely solid gang of veterans, like in 1986, who thought it was all or nothing. »
The Trifluvien has also insisted on the contribution of Weber, a captain he compares to Bob Gainey. He was one of the best captains he has come across over time. Although popular opinion has sometimes been against Weber, especially in his last year with the team when he was sidelined, Gervais wants to set the record straight.
PHOTO BERNARD BRAULT, PRESS ARCHIVES
Shea Weber
“Thinking Shea Weber doesn’t care is not knowing the guy at all!” It is judging without knowing. […] It’s frustrating to hear people cry when they talk through their hats. »
In his stories, Gervais looks back on experiences and anecdotes involving the great defender who, he believes, transformed the Canadiens locker room for the better.
He had a unique way of commanding respect. Every leader leads differently. In Weber’s case, it was all about the attitude.
“Shea, on the ice, he’s 110% all the time, but he’s more subdued, more shy, but in the locker room he was hugely respected. Corey Perry was a little more expressive than him. Perry let nothing pass. Shea was minding her own business a little more. He didn’t need to talk to the guys for very long. He just had to look at them and that was enough. »
The 2021 edition was unique. For better and for worse. Like those of 1986 and 1993. Gervais lived through all three. He knows what it takes to win. “At the request of the fans”, he also explains what caused the ship to sink.