(Boucherville) Gilles Courteau, Patrice Bergeron, Alexandre Daigle, the late Réginald Savage and Maxime Talbot will be inducted into the QMJHL Hall of Fame, the circuit announced Monday.
The ceremony will take place on September 18 at the Manuvie Theater in Brossard.
In less than 18 months, Bergeron went from the midget ranks to the National Hockey League.
He spent only one full season in the QMJHL, with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.
Drafted in the second round by the Bruins in 2003, he played in 1,464 games with Boston. His 19-season career ended at age 37, after the 2022-2023 season. Since September 2011, the number 37 he wore with the Titan has been retired above the KC Irving Center in Bathurst.
PHOTO OLIVIER JEAN, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Patrice Bergeron
Courteau spent 47 seasons in the QMJHL, including 37 years as president or commissioner.
He was the author of several policies and programs including the anti-doping program, the school policy, the anti-discrimination policy, the policy against harassment and violence and the player assistance program.
In December 2022, the President’s Cup, awarded to the series champions, was renamed the Gilles-Courteau trophy. He left his post in controversy in March 2023, against the backdrop of the scandal of degrading initiations in Canadian junior hockey.
Daigle was drafted first overall in 1993 by the Ottawa Senators. In his first season, he was the club’s second point scorer with 51 points, including 20 goals. The 2005-2006 season will be his last in the NHL after he amassed 327 points in 616 games.
His number 91 worn with the Victoriaville Tigres was retired in February 2017.
In 1989-90, the late Savage helped the Tigers win the regular season championship, the first and only in team history.
First round pick of the Washington Capitals in 1988, he only had the chance to play 34 games in the National League, recording 12 points, with Washington and the Quebec Nordiques. He achieved the rare feat of scoring his first NHL goal on a penalty shot. His #77 was immortalized by the Tigers on November 4, 2011.
Recognized as a remarkable leader and hard player, Talbot was drafted eighth overall in 2000 by the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. Captain of the Olympics in 2003 and 2004, he then contributed to two conquests of the President’s Cup.
On each occasion, he earned the Guy-Lafleur Trophy as the most valuable player in the QMJHL playoffs. Eighth round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2002, it was in 2009, during the seventh game of the finals, that he would experience his hour of glory.
His game-winning goal against Detroit helped the Penguins win a third Stanley Cup. During this spring tournament, he collected eight goals and 13 points in 24 games.