Gilles DeGrâce left his mark on Titan history
By: Luc Foulem
The Acadie-Bathurst Titan organization is mourning the death of Gilles DeGrâce on Monday, April 29.
Degrâce had a front-row seat to the team’s activities, doing the Titan’s play-by-play announcing since their inaugural season in 1998. The highlights of his announcing career were describing the team win the President’s Cup in his first season, as well as the President’s Cup and Memorial Cup championships in 2018.
“Gilles was the most passionate in his art, omnipresent as well in the team’s entourage as a sports journalist. The bonds he forged over the years with the Hockey Operations staff and the multitude of players were remarkable. Everyone had great respect for his knowledge, his ability to connect with the people he interviewed and his human approach. He clearly left his mark with team members over the years. He left his mark on Titan history,” says Serge Thériault, Chairman of the Board.
As the Titan’s play-by-play voice, DeGrâce would rack up thousands of kilometers on the Titan bus for the team’s road games over more than 20 seasons. Since the pandemic in 2020, he had been doing the team’s play-by-play remotely.
“During these trips, the coaching staff and players had the opportunity to get to know Gilles as an individual and not in his official capacities. He had this great ability to engage the players on a whole new level. They didn’t hesitate to gravitate towards him to talk about anything and everything. And he delighted in sharing countless hockey stories, being a great storyteller. Gilles had an uncanny ability to establish bonds of trust with the people around him, and the players felt this with great respect and admiration. They recognized Gilles as a member of the family. That says a lot about the person he was,” adds Thériault.
The ultimate mark of recognition
A moment that defines the respect and admiration for Gilles DeGrâce took place following the Memorial Cup win in Regina on May 27, 2018.
After their 3-0 victory in the final over the Regina Pats, that first Memorial Cup championship being in itself a historic moment for the franchise, the players also knew it represented a high point in the announcer’s career. They demonstrated this when Degrâce boarded the bus for the return trip to the hotel. Spontaneously, the players decided to parade him down the aisle, holding his hands up while shouting and dancing.
“Every player knew how much it meant to Gilles and wanted him to know how much they appreciated his work and his person. It was a very touching and moving moment to witness. That’s what it was to know Gilles DeGrâce,” says Titan Executive Director Gilles Cormier.
“We extend our deepest sympathies to his wife Opale, his son Alain and his granddaughters during this most difficult time. Yes, we have lost an icon of the profession, a person who was adored by Titan fans and respected throughout the League. But beyond this, Gilles was a most attentive and devoted husband, father and grandfather. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones,” concluded Mr. Thériault.
