Before 2023, nine women had been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. A 10th will be added to the list on Monday evening, which does not surprise two compatriots who can testify to the work she has accomplished and the sacrifices she made to reach the top of the pyramid.
Montrealer Caroline Ouellette will become, Monday evening, the 10th woman to be admitted to the Hockey Hall of Fame. She will join a select group which includes, among others, Quebecer Danielle Goyette.
“To be honest, I wasn’t surprised,” Goyette said in an interview with The Canadian Press.
“It’s not something that happened overnight. She put a lot of effort into everything she achieved,” added Goyette, who won two Olympic gold medals with Ouellette, in 2002 and 2006.
Danièle Sauvageau, who notably led Ouellette during the 2002 Olympic triumph, gives a speech similar to that of Goyette.
“It was a question of time,” summarized Sauvageau about the woman who won four gold medals at the Olympic Games, between 2002 and 2014, and who amassed 26 points, including nine goals, in 20 Olympic games.
“There is natural talent, and there is trained talent. Caroline Ouellette is a talent that she worked on to bring her to the level that took her to the national team. I think it’s to her credit, in the sense that she was able to capitalize on the opportunities offered to her,” said Sauvageau.
When she thinks of Ouellette, Goyette remembers not only the hardworking and talented athlete, but also the outstanding teammate she was.
“Caroline always had a side where she was drawn to those around her. It was important for her that the team had contact, to know that everyone is well. She was very popular with her teammates. She was able to establish contact with a lot of players on the team,” recalled Goyette.
Ouellette’s induction on Monday evening will crown a year full of emotions for the 44-year-old Montrealer. Earlier in 2023, she earned the same honor from the International Ice Hockey Federation.
Having been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame herself in 2017, Goyette can predict that Ouellette will have an unforgettable weekend in Toronto.
“The things I would say to Caroline and that I have said to players who came in after me is to enjoy this weekend. I think she’s going to be there and she won’t come back. It’s the weekend that will stay there, in memories, in his memory. »
Goyette also believes that induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame is the greatest honor that a hockey player can receive. This is what she still feels today, six years later.
“When you get into the Hall of Fame, you’re with the world you’ve admired your whole life. As a person, these are things that you don’t think could happen to you one day. It’s not something you dream about, because it’s so special and limited,” Goyette said.
