Vaughn Karpan calls us from Langley, British Columbia. It may seem distant, but this is partly where the long association between Paul Byron and the Canadian began.
Karpan is now an assistant general manager for the Vegas Golden Knights, but he previously worked as a professional scout for the Habs. From home, the most accessible AHL club was Abbotsford, the Flames affiliate where Byron played between 2011 and 2014.
Fast forward to the fall of 2015. Byron is recovering from groin surgery and the recovery is not going as planned. He is limited to two preparatory matches, a thin sample to show off.
But Karpan attended one of those games, plus he has a larger sample size with the Abbotsford games.
“There were several of them fighting for two positions, so we knew that they were going to have to submit several names to the ballot,” remembers Karpan. After the match, I was listening to the radio and he gave an interview where he explained that he was recovering from his injury. And the next morning he was on waivers! »
The memory he keeps of this match?
At this point it is easy to say that the rest is history, that Byron immediately seized his chance, but the reality is more complex. The Ottawan arrived in Montreal as the 13th forward, and he remained confined to this role for the first 10 games of the season. Matches he watched from the bridge, until good old Alexander Semin managed to lose his place in the lineup.
“At the end of October, the team was going out West. In Edmonton, I went to see him to introduce myself to him. I told him his turn was coming. And the next day, in Calgary, he scored his first goal with Montreal. »
There, the rest is truly history. With his speed and enthusiasm, Byron cemented his place as the Swiss army knife of the Montreal attack. “He was a guy who made his lines better. Mike [Therrien] or Claude [Julien] could put him on any line to give a spark,” remembers Dan Lacroix, assistant coach from 2014 to 2018 in Montreal.
Byron has had a more than enviable career. How many players recovered from waivers can boast of having had two 20-goal seasons, of having become assistants, of having had such a career that they are offered a job in the organization upon retirement?
“Players like him make guys like me look a lot smarter than we really are! Karpan said with a touch of self-deprecation. The credit goes to him, he never gave up, he earned the respect of the coaches and he became a leader. He took his chance. »
Karpan wasn’t the first recruiter to look good thanks to Byron.
In 2006, during his first stay at the helm of the Hull Olympics, Benoît Groulx was lured by Dave Kingsbury to go see a small forward who was turning heads.
“I had just instructed our recruiters that we had to get bigger,” remembers Groulx. We’re going to see him in the playoffs, he played for Ottawa-West. I’m not sure of the details, but it finished something like 9-8 and he had 1 goal and 6 assists. He was the best player of the match. But the Canadian had been shaken! »
“Mr Henry [Charles, owner of the Olympics] is looking at me. “What do we do with this? » I tell him, “He’s 5’7, 132 lbs. The next step is major junior, not junior B! » Our scout wasn’t happy, he was like, ‘Come on, he’s the best player on the ice. » He had known him since he was a pee-wee, he was convinced of his move. »
Groulx got his money’s worth, but he wasn’t the only one. As the 2007 draft approached, a certain Al MacAdam approached him. MacAdam is a former glory of the Minnesota North Stars, who was then a scout for the Buffalo Sabres.
“Al is coming to see me. He says: “Me, it’s the 20 that I like in your club. Am I wrong ? ” I say no. » He says, “I think he’s going to play in the NHL. Am I wrong ? ” I say no. » He came back to see me at the repechage. “If I draft him, am I going to look crazy? » I told him, “No, you won’t be wrong. » »
The Sabers ultimately claimed him in the 6th round, 179th overall. Byron gave two good years in the American League before being traded to the Flames.
“David Kingsbury, we don’t talk about him, but he’s the one who took us to see him. Al MacAdam, no one talks about him, but he spoke for himself to the Sabres, notes Groulx. Everyone played their part. But Paul was the actor in all of this, he was the one who forced everyone’s hand. People are there to open the door, but he has to do the job. »
How did Byron beat the odds? For Benoît Groulx, his courage has a lot to do with it.
Dan Lacroix today leads the Moncton Wildcats in the QMJHL. And he happened to cite Paul Byron as an example, especially to his small players.
“Some players, physically, let themselves be intimidated. Not everyone can gain weight. Guys are born with a certain frame and they can’t go up to 200 lbs. Paul Byron, he is not imposing. But he is brave and he is strong. It’s a term we don’t use often enough, “courageous.” He was angry, he rushed into the crowd. Every summer, he came back fitter, bigger, stronger. And he’s not built like Shea Weber! SO. for smaller guys, I gave it as an example. »
