20 year-old newcomers in Gatineau
There have been big changes in the Olympiques’ roster of 20-year-olds since the last trade period. Two of the three veterans are newcomers to Gatineau. Depth, offensive talent and playoff experience are the chief things that motivated GM Benoit Groulx to grab these players.
One of these new acquisitions is left winger Gabryel Paquin-Boudreau. In 4 seasons in the QMJHL, the Otterburn Park native has previously played in the colours of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar and Chicoutimi Saguenéens before donning an Olympiques jersey. He was gearing up to be part of the Côte Nord team when he got to the final against the Halifax Mooseheads in 2013 and the Val-d’Or Foreurs in 2014.
‘Gabryel has proven himself in the league. More than anything, we were looking to add offence to our lineup and to get players who had playoff experience,’ Groulx underlined. Since his arrival in Gatineau, #23 has scored 3 goals and collected 6 assists in 7 outings. At 17, Paquin-Boudreau had a 63-point rookie season, with 18 more points in 18 playoff games.
The other new face in Gatineau is center Samuel Tremblay, who has played the last three seasons as a member of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. #27 also brings playoff experience with him, having had the opportunity of playing 18 games in the 2014 postseason.
‘He’s a player with a really great work ethic and who brings depth to our team. He excels on the penalty kill and completes his pairing nicely,’ said Groulx.
Yan Pavel Laplante
The 20-year-old player who has the most experience on the Olympiques is Yan Pavel Laplante. The Sainte-Martine native is currently in his 5th QMJHL season, but has only played a season and a half with Gatineau so far. He was parachuted onto the team in the middle of the 2014-15 season, after having played for the Victoriaville Tigres, Charlottetown Islanders, and the Prince Edward Island Rocket.
‘Everything has gone well so far. We had a good start to the season, we have a good team and there is good stuff going on out there on the ice. Personally, things are going good too. I approached the season without putting pressure on myself; I just let go, and things seem to be going as I hoped they would. I am always working hard,’ emphasized the young player who statistically is having his best ever Q season.
In 45 starts, #9 has scored 28 goals and added 27 assists for a total of 55 points, surpassing his personal record of 42. His shot percentage is 15.6%; also a career best.
‘In the past I had some injuries which prevented me from playing complete seasons. The stats from those years are not representative of what I can do. I don’t really look at the stats because I don’t want to put pressure on myself.’
Laplante was taken in the third round in 2013 by the Phoenix Coyotes but was let go in 2015. If you listen to his coach, this disappointment was the catalyst for lots of things for the veteran. ‘He has raised the level of his game this year. He understood that to play at a professional level he had to make changes to his game and his attitude. I think that it was a crisis of confidence for him and it gave him the additional motivation he needed. Lots of players say they will do it but they don’t. Laplante has put his money where his mouth is. He has the potential to play in the American Hockey League next season. He will be playing with men there, and he will learn what it takes to make it to the NHL. I have only good things to say about Yan Pavel. He’s a vital leader on our team. Among other things, he’s the one who eased Abramov’s integration into the league. He’s a big brother.’
At the time of writing, Laplante’s plans for next season where not set in stone. Right now, he’s concentrating on the present.
‘My ultimate goal is to earn a professional contract, but I’m going to get there one day at a time. Right now, I’m going to help my team win as much as we can, right to the end of the season. All the same, my agent is in contact with some teams, which augers well, but I am not taken anything for granted.’
Translation: Richard Dumas
