There are those decisions that have an unexpected impact on a career. Like the one taken by David Desharnais a few months ago and which, thanks to a twist of fate, led the former Canadian to the Beijing Olympics.
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“I thought about quitting hockey last summer. But I made the decision to continue, and there are nice little surprises like that that reward me,” Desharnais told the Journal, Tuesday, shortly after the announcement of the team that will represent Canada in men’s hockey.
The Quebec striker is one of 25 players chosen by general manager Shane Doan to go to China (see opposite) to replace the National League hockey players, who withdrew due to the risks associated with the COVID pandemic. -19.
But despite the happiness of such news, Desharnais remains lucid.
Exiled to Switzerland for three seasons – where he wears the colors of Fribourg-Gottéron – he recognizes that he would never have been able to wear the maple leaf on his jersey without this new withdrawal of NHL players, four years after Pyeongchang.
“In a normal world, I had no chance of making the Olympic team,” he said. But, currently, we are not in a normal world, and it takes players to get there. You have to take the positive and I am very proud to represent Canada. »
Perseverance paid off
The 35-year-old veteran is also pleased to have continued his career after his last outings with the New York Rangers four years ago.
Another decision that, without realizing it at the time, of course, led him to the Olympics.
“The fact of not having given up hockey after the NHL, of having persevered, of having played at an acceptable level of play and of having continued to improve, that gave me that chance”, raised the hockey player from Laurier-Station, near Quebec.
This season, the small forward shows a record of 30 points, including 11 goals, in 37 games in the Swiss Premier League.
The COVID-19 …
Although he was delighted with the news on Tuesday, Desharnais did not exclude the possibility that this unique chance to represent his country at the Olympics could be ruined by COVID-19, in a sad reversal of fate.
“There are so many things that can happen between now and then,” he said. We know we’re part of the team, but we can test positive for COVID. As long as we are not on the plane, and even returned to China, we do not know how it will turn out. »
reunion
Before leaving Switzerland for Beijing, where the men’s hockey tournament will take off on February 9, Desharnais will meet some familiar faces in the coming days during the training camp to be held in Davos.
He will reconnect with his former teammates Daniel Carr and Mark Barberio, but also with Quebecers Jason Demers and Maxim Noreau. The Canadian team will fly to China on February 2.
It will also be the reunion with Claude Julien, the head coach of Canada replacing Jon Cooper, who led him for five games with Montreal, in 2016-2017.