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History in the making - Our heroes

 

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By Marthe Lemery
Research collaborator Marie Josée Bourgeois
October 24, 2024

 

Our glorious ones

 

There must be something special flowing in the Petite Nation river for such fine field hockey players to be born there - Guy Lafleur, Stéphane Richer [...].

Ghislain Sabourin[1]

A quick question for fans of our national sport on ice. Which of the professional field hockey players born in the MRC de Papineau was the first to drink champagne from the famous Stanley Cup?
No, it's not Guy Lafleur! The name of our first sportsman to get his hands on the sacrosanct cup is... (drum roll) Louis Berlinguette!

[1] Excerpt from the "Stéphane Richer dossier", published in L'Écho des montagnes, newsletter of the Comité du patrimoine de Ripon, in July 2021. Online at https://patrimoineripon.ca/stephane-richer/

Louis who?

Some 100 years after he hung up his skates, the name Louis Berlinguette no longer rings a bell. And yet, in his day, he was one hell of a left-winger with the Canadiens, with whom he played from 1912 to 1923. In 1916, he and his teammates won the very first Stanley Cup in Canadiens history, beating the Portland Rosebuds.

Born in 1887 in the municipality of Sainte-Angélique (the rural parish surrounding the village of Papineauville before amalgamation in 2000), Louis was the youngest of 8 children born to Louis Berlinguette[1] (1844-1926), a farmer, and Adeline Robitaille (1846-1931). In the Sainte-Flanelle line-up, Berlinguette had the opportunity to play in the playoffs on a few occasions, including in 1919, when the Canadiens, ahead in the series, had to forfeit to a formidable opponent... the Spanish flu! Berlinguette, who was said to be quick on his skates and known for his solid checking, if not great scoring, was one of the players stricken by influenza. That spring, the National Hockey League, now in its second year, decided to suspend competition in the face of the rapidly spreading epidemic. In the days before televised games and lucrative contracts, Berlinguette still managed to leave his mark on the newspapers of the day. He retired from field hockey in 1927, ending his days in anonymity in Rouyn-Noranda in 1959.

[1] Louis' father, and therefore our field hockey player's paternal grandfather, Louis-Thomas Berlinguette, operated a ferry in Plaisance, the Berlinguette Ferry, which provided a means of crossing the Petite Nation river before the first bridge was built in 1866. The "ferry house" still exists, and can be seen from 148, not far from the railway bridge over the river.

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Illustration 104 - Louis Berlinguette was the first field hockey player from the Petite-Nation region to shine in the National Hockey League, although his name has since been forgotten. In 1916, he lifted the precious Stanley Cup into the air with his Montreal Canadiens teammates.

Guy, our star in the firmament!

It was like a destiny written in the sky. Born in 1951 into an honest, hard-working family, this little boy from Thurso had only one dream: to become as good on the ice as his idol, Jean Béliveau. From pee-wee tournaments to competitions in the minor and junior field hockey leagues, gleaning a host of trophies and honors along the way, our young Guy saw his star shine brighter and brighter, until he reached the "unattainable summit": the National Hockey League, and better still, his idol's team, the Tricolore. The Canadiens' first choice in the 1971 amateur draft, Guy was only 19 at the time... the legend of the "blonde demon" (or Flower, as he was affectionately known by English-speaking fans of the sport) had just taken flight!

The rest, as they say, is history. No one in Quebec or anywhere else in North America with the slightest interest in field hockey is unaware of this: he was the first player in history to have six straight seasons with at least 50 goals, to have won five Stanley Cups thanks to his on-ice virtuosity between 1972 and 1979, to have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, the Quebec Sports Hall of Fame, the American Academy of Achievement, an endless list of trophies and 7 Molson Cups (only Carey Price beats him with 9), winning the Canada Cup in 1976, and the list goes on.

Illustration 105 - In September 2013, the town of Thurso honored its most illustrious citizen by unveiling a 2.5-metre bronze statue, created by artist-sculptor Jean-Raymond Goyer, in front of the town hall, which sits on Place Guy Lafleur.

His hometown renamed its indoor rink the Guy-Lafleur arena in 1990, and a magnificent bronze depicting him in all his field hockey glory graces the "Place Guy Lafleur", opposite City Hall. The Canadiens team retired the number 10 jersey he had worn since his debut. And in a supreme honor, after his death on April 22, 2022, the Quebec government gave him a state funeral and named Highway 50, which crosses our two valleys, after him.

But behind the legendary field hockey player lay a human being with a heart of gold, a simple man available to all, affable, sparing neither time nor effort to support the various causes close to his heart. And he always responded to the requests of the people of his region, the Petite-Nation, to which he remained attached all his life.

Martin Van Den Borre, Agricultural Development Officer at MRC Papineau, has a great anecdote to tell on this subject. "When I was general manager of the Vallée-de-la-Petite-Nation Chamber of Commerce, I proposed at our 2010 AGM that we name Guy Lafleur ambassador of the Petite-Nation, to highlight his role not as a sportsman, but as a businessman. I went to meet his mother Pierrette, in Thurso, to discuss the matter. She had tears in her eyes; it was the first time, she told me, that her region had considered officially honoring her son."

Rather than give the star player yet another trophy, Martin asked Guy's mother what would make him happy. He loves the works of watercolorist Jean-Yves Guindon, he's his favorite painter," she replied. He already has several paintings by Jean-Yves in his collection, because the landscapes he paints remind him of his childhood, his region." Together with the Saint-André-Avellin artist, a work of art was chosen to be offered to the blonde devil at the end of the organization's general meeting, which was to be held at Stéphane Richer's golf course in Montpellier.

As the distinguished guest was expected for the more "formal" part of the AGM at around 11:30 a.m., Martin was surprised to see the helicopter, piloted by Lafleur himself, land on the2nd hole green at just 7:15 a.m. "I ran over to tell him he could relax, he didn't have to show up so early. "I ran over to tell him he could relax, there was no need for him to show up so early. On the contrary," he replied, "I want to attend your AGM, I want to meet your world, participate in your meeting, not just receive tributes!"

Guy Lafleur sat down at the welcome table and personally greeted each and every participant arriving at the AGM. During the meeting itself," continues Martin, "he took part in the discussions, asking questions and making interventions. It wasn't about showing off, it was about feeling. That's Guy, an anti-hero, humble, close to his community."

Illustration 106 - In 2010, the Vallée-de-la-Petite-Nation Chamber of Commerce honoured the businessman who had become Guy Lafleur by naming him "Ambassador of the Petite-Nation". On this occasion, Chamber of Commerce General Manager Martin Van Den Borre (left) and President Carl Woodward (center) presented Mr. Lafleur with a watercolor by Avellin artist Jean-Yves Guindon, in the presence of Mr. Guindon (right). Photo archives Jean-Yves Guindon.

Stéphane, the glory of Riponnais

You'd think a talent of Guy Lafleur's calibre would be a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence for a sub-region like ours. Well, the puck gods seem to be on our side, because just as the Thurso champion was embarking on his Junior Hockey League career at the age of 16, another toddler was born in Ripon, destined to succeed him as a gifted field hockey player.

Stéphane Richer, born in 1966, dreamed of following in his idol Guy's footsteps from the moment he was handed a field hockey stick. And he too has had a meteoric rise. After making a name for himself with his first minor and major field hockey teams, he was part of the Canadian team that won the World Junior Hockey Championship in Finland in 1985. He moved up to the big leagues in 1984, at the age of 18, when he was drafted by the Canadiens to play for their school team, the Sherbrooke Canadiens, in the American Hockey League. That year, the team won its only Calder Cup.

He donned a CH uniform for the first time in 1985, but it was in the 1986-1987 season that he really came into his own with the team. The following season, he scored 50 goals, repeating Guy Lafleur's feat of the 1970s. He repeated the feat two years later, with a 51-goal season. He twice lifted the Stanley Cup, first in 1986 with the Canadiens, then in 1995 with the New Jersey Devils. He hung up his skates for good in 2005, after a busy career with five NHL teams.

Illustration 107 - In the summer of 1995, the citizens of Ripon gave a hero's welcome to their star player, Stéphane Richer, who came to present them with the Stanley Cup won a few months earlier by his New Jersey Devils team. Photo Ghislain Sabourin, archives Comité du patrimoine de Ripon.

 

Being adored by the crowds is a double-edged sword. The pressure from fans and commentators of all stripes can be merciless, and despite his great successes, Stéphane had the strength and courage to speak out about the damaging effects such pressure had on him. Far from turning in on himself, he spoke of his anxiety attacks, periods of depression and even suicidal thoughts.

And following the advice of the man he called "his godfather", Guy Lafleur, he decided to stop hiding this dark side of glory, giving talks in schools and businesses on the importance of taking care of oneself and one's mental health. The greatest moment of his life," he told Journal de Montréal journalist Rodger Brulotte on September 16, 2023, "was not winning Stanley Cups, but being honoured by the Jewish Hospital of Montreal for his commitment to helping children with mental health problems[1].

[1] www.journaldemontreal.com/2023/09/16/jetais-pompiste-a-lage-de-9-ans

Illustration 108 - Proof that the great Stéphane Richer knows how to reach out to his little fans? He willingly lent himself to an interview to help 10-year-old William Bullock, from Ripon, write his tribute book La vie sportive de notre grand numéro 44 : Stéphane Richer. This beautiful full-colour book recounts Stéphane's career, from the outdoor rink in the village of Ripon to the ice at the Montreal Forum and beyond. Stéphane came to support the young author at his book launch at the Ripon community center in October 2020. Photo Karine Dambremont.

 

Guy and Stéphane have helped put Petite-Nation on the map, not just of Quebec, but of the entire North American continent," adds Martin Van Den Borre. Sometimes, when I mention Thurso, Americans I've met through my work with the MRC will exclaim, 'oh yes, Flower's village', or someone from Quebec will hear the village of Ripon mentioned and exclaim, 'of course, Stéphane's hometown!

Above all, Martin salutes the type of "positive masculinity" that these two great sportsmen promoted, by accepting to display their vulnerability, as a counterbalance to their immense athletic talent. "By talking about problems associated with aging, as Guy did about erectile dysfunction, hair loss or cancer, or the issues related to stress and anxiety that Stéphane tackled, they both demonstrated that heroes are not supermen, but beings with flaws like anyone else."

Illustration 109 - The number 10 jersey worn by Guy Lafleur continues to be revered, sometimes in the most unusual places, as here in the Sacré-Coeur Barbier salon on Beaubien Street in Montreal. Photo Marthe Lemery.

The new hope, Xavier Simoneau

From Louis to Guy to Stéphane, the torch is passed from one generation to the next! The one who embodies the most vibrant hopes of seeing a player from the Petite-Nation play in the "big league" is young center forward Xavier Simoneau, from Saint-André-Avellin. Xavier, 23, was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in 2022 and is currently playing with the Laval Rocket, the Canadiens' training club, under a two-year contract that runs until spring 2025. Before reaching the pros, Xavier had made a name for himself in major junior field hockey with the Drummondville Voltigeurs. Afflicted more recently by a few injuries, let's just say he's fighting hard to carve out a place for himself on the team that enshrined his idols, Guy and Stéphane. We hope he does!

Illustration 110 - Xavier Simoneau, from Saint-André-Avellin, currently represents our greatest hope of seeing a field hockey player from the MRC on the ice of an NHL team. Photo Martin Chevalier, Journal de Montréal.

Gino, a giant for the natives

If we take a step back in time to the founding of our seigneury 350 years ago, then we can say that our "little nation" encompassed all the territory occupied by the great Anishinabe family. And by this broader definition of our region, we are justified in adding to our list of glorious field hockey players Wayne "Gino" Odjick, who was to the Vancouver Canucks what Guy and Stéphane were to the Montreal Canadiens. A hero cheered from the stands!

A member of the Anishnabe First Nation, born on the Kitigan Zibi reserve in Maniwaki in 1970, Gino was a giant, considered "the strong man of the NHL" when he played for the Canucks between 1990 and 1998. He also played for the Montreal CH between 2000 and 2002. Gino died prematurely on January 15, 2023 in Vancouver of a rare and incurable heart disease. He took his cue from his friend Guy Lafleur, and used his celebrity to serve the cause of aboriginal youth, who saw him as a role model.

Trilingual - he spoke French, English and Algonquin - Gino gave many motivational talks to First Nations children and teenagers after retiring from the NHL, calling for an education that respected and promoted their ancestral culture. In the 4 teams he played for, he always insisted on wearing field hockey jerseyno. 29, the number his father had received at residential school. In his honor, the city of Maniwaki renamed its arena Le Centre Gino Odjick in 2014.

Illustration 111 - Born on the Kitigan Zibi reserve, Odjick was a player who used his strength and build to help his teammates score goals. He collected 137 points, including 64 goals, during his career with Vancouver's NHL team. Photo Darryl Dyck, Canadian Press.

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