Caroline Ouellette was holding her daughter Liv when Lanny McDonald addressed her at the opening of the ceremony: “Congratulations and welcome to the Hockey Hall of Fame. » The long-awaited moment had come.
Granato. James. Heaney. Ruggiero. Goyette. Hefford. Wickenheiser. St-Pierre. Allowed.
Now add Ouellette to that list of legends. Immortals.
“Each of you has inspired me, pushed me, shown me what it means to take our game to the next level,” the new inductee said at the start of her speech to the nine women who preceded her.
Ouellette emphasized more insistently the impact that Kim St-Pierre, former teammate and great friend, had on her career. It was also the former goalkeeper who presented her with her plaque on stage, a sign of her great importance.
“Your confidence in me gave me the strength to find my place and my path,” said Ouellette. I would never have become the same player without you by my side.
“I hope that in five years I will be sitting where you are sitting now and witness the 20th woman inducted into the Hall of Fame. I sincerely believe that there are so many women who deserve this great honor as athletes and as builders. »
In a speech lasting about fifteen minutes, Ouellette returned to her hockey journey, starting with the moment when she convinced her parents, after two years, to sign her up for hockey. She, this young girl from Montreal who religiously watched Canadian matches.
Ouellette played with boys ages 9 to 17. She was called “every name possible,” she recalled. But those challenges, she says, “helped her develop a deeper appreciation for how lucky [she] was to play hockey when so many girls [her] age didn’t have the same opportunity “.
“I will always remember what my father told me about teasing: Caro, you don’t control what people say, but you always control your actions and your attitude. The best thing to do is to make a difference on the ice, where you have control. »
Ouellette thanked, with emotion, her parents for having “believed in Team Canada even before [she] believed in it.”
One by one, the four-time Olympic gold medalist thanked those who had their role to play in her long and successful career. Among the lot, his idol France St-Louis, who was present in the room, eyes in the water. And his wife, Julie Chu, also a four-time Olympian with the… American team. “She’s extraordinary, I promise you,” said Ouellette to the general hilarity.
At the end of her speech, the woman who is currently associate head coach of the Concordia University Stingers said she was “full of hope for the future” with the arrival of the brand new professional women’s hockey league, including the first season will begin in January.
“I am grateful for all the women who came before me and fought for a better future for us all. […] I can’t wait to witness what’s to come for our game. I hope to spend my life there. That would make me the happiest woman. »
It was also the big night for two other Quebecers: Pierre Turgeon was also inducted, as was Pierre Lacroix, posthumously. The first as a player, the second as a builder. Both are also related, Lacroix having been Turgeon’s agent.
“From the age of 11, Pierre and his wife Coco, their sons Éric and Martin, welcomed me into their family,” Turgeon rightly mentioned. Coco, thank you for your hospitality. I am so honored and touched to be inducted on the same evening as this great builder. »
Turgeon, fifth player from Abitibi-Témiscamingue to receive the ultimate consecration, saluted “two of his heroes” in Dave Keon and Jacques Laperrière, the organization of the Citadelles de Rouyn-Noranda as well as his coach at the time, André Racicot.
The new immortal looked back on his journey, from his draft by the Buffalo Sabers to his trade to Montreal which allowed him to realize “a childhood dream: to play for the Canadiens”.
The former captain of the Habs became emotional when mentioning the day of December 23, 2010, the date of the death of his daughter in a road accident.
“I am grateful for all the support we have had from our family, friends and the hockey world. What a wonderful world we are a part of. We miss you, Liz. »
For the induction of Pierre Lacroix, his former colleague at the Colorado Avalanche Joe Sakic gave a vibrant speech on the microphone. Then, Lacroix’s grandson, Max, appeared on stage. The 19-year-old became the voice of his family to thank everyone who played a role in his grandfather’s journey. He returned to the latter’s “loyalty” towards his players and the love he had for them.
“One of his secret tools for forging unbreakable bonds was his love for food,” he said with a smile. Montreal smoked meat was his favorite meal. It symbolized his passion for food in addition to creating a friendly atmosphere within the team. It was as if, while the coaches worked on the exercises to be performed, he was planning the next meal, not just to satisfy their hunger, but to nourish the bonds that made them champions. »
“Pierre, who always avoided the spotlight, now stands before its brilliance. […] Damn I love you, dad [that’s what he called the man he considered his best friend]. »
Max Lacroix then invited his grandmother, Coco Lacroix, on stage in what turned out to be one of the most touching moments of this induction evening:
“Thank you very much to the hockey world. We owe everything to the world of hockey. We lived the best life in the world, it’s the best sport in the world. I just want to say a few words to Pierre: your dream has come true, my love, I’m so happy,” she said, looking at the sky.
