Remembering Yvon Pedneault: A Tribute to a Hockey Guru and Friend

2023-08-27 17:23:33

Bad punch in the forehead and I never saw it coming. When the bond of friendship has held firm for 47 years, you end up believing that it will be eternal, but on Saturday morning, Yvon’s death stunned me. We were friends, colleagues, accomplices, Brossardois and he was my hockey guru forever. You have no idea how Yvon Pednault searched so deep and from all angles to find out everything, miss nothing and communicate to you the fruit of his research and his experiences.

Few people know it, but in the 70s and 80s, Yvon was a representative for the Titan club company. It was he who signed the agreements with Wayne Gretzky, Mike Bossy and Michel Goulet. No worse, that, his son, Eric, told me.

We met in 1976 at CKAC and, immediately, the friendship stuck. We played hockey together for the radio station team and we went to celebrate wins or losses at Alexandre’s on Peel Street. Janine, his wife, also became my boyfriend, as did his son Éric, who is now a director at TVA. I even knew Yvon’s mother well, the adorable Lorette, who was quite proud of her only son.

In 1983, I had become morning man at CKMF and almost got on my knees for him to become a sports columnist on my show. perfect sidekick and straightman comical and wonderful to accompany the characters I imitated. We have already produced a sports bulletin which lasted 11 minutes when we were not supposed to exceed 4 minutes. Laughing like crazy morning following morning, and the ratings were skyrocketing.

to the bone

Yes, bad character, the Yvon, but he got wet and was never afraid to go further than the others. He also managed a college AAA hockey team (Collège Français), he opened a hockey equipment store in Brossard and never stopped developing contacts and correspondence with journalists from other NHL cities as well as stakeholders of all levels in the circuit. Everyone knew him and he knew everyone. Scotty Bowman, Bobby Clark, Denis Potvin, Harry Sinden, Mario Lemieux, Pierre Lacroix, Luc Robitaille, and so on and I forget.

He was one of the few Quebecers among the journalists who, on Saturday evenings, collaborated with CBC (Toronto) on Hockey Night in Canada. We translated it and he also collaborated with Scandinavian media. He was well ahead of rumors and he knew how to filter information. He was in Guy Lafleur’s room in Toronto when the Démond Blond threatened to go on strike before a game if his contract was not renewed. He knew how to approach players, leaders and stakeholders.

His passion for NHL hockey was almost a disease. He knew the fourth line of the Columbus Blue Jackets as well as the first line of an American League team. Do you know many who can analyze every NHL team week following week like he did in The Journal of Montreal? He knew secrets, undisclosed misunderstandings, hidden injuries and he had the phone number of all the players’ agents on the circuit. A machine.

like rock

When I had my page in the sports section of the Journal, I never hesitated to give Yvon a call before publishing. We didn’t always get along but he loved being my big brother, adding a few details regarding me or searching me for information that I had collected. He was skilled as an investigator. It was applied.

I enjoyed working with Yvon Pedneault at CKAC (he once hosted sports fans), CKMF, TVA, TQS, RDS, au Journal. Radio, television, in writing, he succeeded everywhere. I admired his philosophy, his laughter, his love of the public to whom he wanted to deliver as much as possible. I loved playing tennis and golf with him and his son Éric in Florida, all complemented by magnificent food from Janine who must be waiting for her Yvon up there.

We lose a big one. Hi Pedz, my guru.

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