2023-06-28 00:47:38
NASHVILLE – Étienne Morin may be standing in the heart of Nashville, a few hundred meters from the Bridgestone Arena where the NHL Draft will be held, but he still hasn’t taken the full measure of what he’s regarding to do. live in the next few days.
Yet it’s the moment the Moncton Wildcats defenseman has been dreaming of for a long time and waiting for since the start of last season. The moment when he will put on the jersey of a big league team.
“I don’t seem to realize it yet,” he says in the shade of a downtown hotel. It’s weird to think that I’m here, it’s the NHL and I have the opportunity to be a first-round pick. »
It was the ultimate goal from the day he fell in love with hockey in his native Valleyfield. It was with this milestone in mind that he made his choices, made sacrifices, and his parents consistently supported him, without restriction.
With 72 points, including 21 goals, in 67 games this season, Morin put the icing on the cake to place his pawns well and hope to be called to the podium in the first round on Wednesday.
“He always told us that he wanted to be a hockey player in life,” said his father Roger, sitting alongside his mother Isabelle. Whether in any league, he wanted to do this with his life. Every time he rose through the ranks, some people told us he had something special. »
Through weekends spent in arenas, long road trips – including a round trip to Toronto to take part in an hour-long practice led by former defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo – and ongoing visits to Moncton season, they have always been by his side.
They will also be on D-Day, like his sister Catherine. Obviously.
“There’s a lot of stress on their side, I would say,” Morin said with a laugh. They’re way more stressed out for me than I actually am. It’s always like that. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience and we’re going to try to enjoy it as much as possible. »
Always humble, the 18-year-old is well aware of how lucky he is to have such dedicated parents, who have never counted the hours to allow him to develop and flourish in his sport. For them, these long hours have never been a sacrifice.
“We never set limits for him to achieve his dream,” said his mother Isabelle. As a child, he said he was going to play hockey like many boys. We quickly realized that something was going on when he was on the ice. […] A mother’s happiness depends on her child’s happiness. If he’s happy, so am I. »
It was at this point that the young man interrupted him to add a caveat: “In fact, the big sacrifice was the garage door! »
It would seem that it also paid the price at the Morins because of errant pucks, just like Sidney Crosby’s famous dryer. This was the case at the family home of several players who reached the top. She may be there, the key.
“When people come to us and they’re looking for the house, we tell them to look for the garage door,” Isabelle laughed. His father Roger then continued by recalling that Phillip Danault had paid for a new garage door for his parents when he signed his first contract in the NHL.
Maybe it was a message for son, who was listening intently.
In the meantime, the Morins will have to be patient. They never counted the hours, but the next ones will be long. The closer the moment approaches, the harder it will be to avoid thinking regarding scenarios or getting ideas regarding the young man’s potential destinations.
There are, at least, plenty of places to hang out in the country capital.
“Everyone has arrived in town,” concluded Roger. Tonight, we’re going to have dinner as a team… as a family! (laughs)”
“We are a team too! “, caught up Isabelle.
It is in fact there, the real key.
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