It was at the Beijing Games. The Canadians had just defeated the Americans in the final. For the third time in her career, Marie-Philip Poulin had scored the winning goal in the final game. The Quebecer, all smiles, looked proudly at her gold medal. At his side, on the small platform, his trainer Troy Ryan answered questions from the international press.
Posted at 7:16 a.m.
“Troy, tell us about Marie-Philip. How is it to direct it? asked a colleague.
Good question. It must still be special to coach the best player of her generation. What can we still teach him, at 31? How to raise her level of play, when she is already alone in the exosphere, with three gold medals at the Games, two at the World Championships and all the individual titles imaginable?
“Honestly, replied Ryan, I find myself wondering how she sees the game. I try to understand. I would like to be able to use it for the whole team to benefit from it. And even though she’s not always talkative, doesn’t say much, when she talks, I make sure to pay attention to what she’s saying. Because it’s probably something special. Something that, as a coach, I can learn. »
photo martin chamberland, press archives
Marie-Philip Poulin (29) celebrates winning gold with her Canadian teammates at the Beijing Games.
I underlined the quote in neon yellow marker. Because it’s very, very, very rare for an elite coach to candidly admit to “learning” from an athlete. Usually it’s the opposite. The coach positions himself in the role of the teacher, and perceives his players as his students.
This testimony demonstrates to what extent Marie-Philip Poulin is an exceptional athlete. Not only does she dominate her sport, but she also advances it. She pushes her opponents AND her teammates to surpass themselves in order to be able to keep up with her. The most remarkable? She is the most humble champion I know. And no, it’s not false modesty. She really is like that.
An example ? On Tuesday, the Canadiens named her player development advisor. Basically, she will be a teacher with the hopes of the organization. Her reaction: she said she was excited to learn new tricks from her future students. However, she will indeed be the teacher.
What can she learn, moreover, at the Canadian? After all, the club already has plenty of experts in its ranks. Martin St-Louis won the Hart and Art-Ross trophies. Vincent Lecavalier won the Maurice-Richard trophy. Both lifted the Stanley Cup, as did Rob Ramage and Martin Lapointe.
What Marie-Philip Poulin can offer the Habs is what her coach was talking about. A unique vision of the game. Staggering intelligence on the ice. Quiet leadership. A passion for hockey, too. These are not easily transferable assets. The transition from player to teacher is a big challenge. Think, among others, of Wayne Gretzky and Maurice Richard.
That said, I have confidence in Marie-Philip Poulin. In the role of advisor that she will occupy part-time, in order to pursue her hockey career until the next Olympic Games, her enthusiasm and her passion will serve her well. His humility, too. The club’s hopefuls will love him.
General manager Kent Hughes also stressed that the leadership of his rookie will make the Canadiens “a better organization”. On that, I hope management will offer Marie-Philip Poulin to mentor the future team captain. Especially if it’s a youngster, like Nick Suzuki. Because with the “C” come pressure and great responsibilities, two subjects on which Marie-Philip Poulin could write a postdoctoral thesis.
Obviously, not everyone shares my enthusiasm for this nomination. I have read and heard reviews. Always the same, when a woman is appointed to the sports operations of a male professional club.
– “It’s a marketing stunt. » Of course the Canadian will restore his image thanks to this appointment. But I dare to believe that the organization will especially benefit from the teachings of Marie-Philip Poulin with its hopefuls.
– “Women’s hockey and men’s hockey are different, and she’s never played in the NHL. » The club’s director of development, Adam Nicholas, doesn’t have more NHL hockey experience than she does. Neither did Laval Rocket head coach Jean-François Houle. Kent Hughes, no more. And their boss, Jeff Gorton, ditto. In return, the Canadian has relied on several former NHL players in the last decade to develop players. At the last assessment, it was not always glorious.
– “Diversity is a woke trip. » The most successful organizations – not just in sports – are those that multiply views within their ranks. Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas pointed this out when hiring Hayley Wickenheiser to the player development team. “Research shows that the more diversity there is within your organization, the better the decision-making will be. The better your operations will be, too, in general. I think if you only hire white men, and I say this as a white man, you’re probably leaving a lot on the table for your organization to grow and grow. »
It took far too long for the Canadiens to recognize the potential of women in the club’s hockey operations. So much the better if mentalities change, because the pool of talent is huge and, frankly, too little explored. Now, Habs executives and players have access to one of the best hockey minds in the world. Their turn to observe, listen – and learn.