Title: Following the Breadcrumb Trail: Gabriel Dumont's Journey from Dégelis to the Montreal Canadiens

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“Gabriel Dumont Reflects on His Time With the Canadiens: ‘It Was a Great Honor'”

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Montreal Canadiens
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“I will always be grateful that I had this chance, this opportunity,” says Syracuse Crunch captain and native winemaker Dégelis about the time at CH.

Montreal Canadiens forward Gabriel Dumont slides onto Arizona Coyotes’ Louis Domingue February 1, 2015 in Montreal. Photo by Pierre Obendrauf/Montreal Gazette

Of the hundreds of players to have worn a Canadiens jersey over the last century, it’s unlikely that Gabriel Dumont’s name would catch the eye except for the most ardent fans.

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Nonetheless, the native of Dégelis, a village of fewer than 4,000 near the New Brunswick border, played 18 games in four seasons for Montreal, scored his first NHL goal in Pittsburgh against Marc-André Fleury, and played three playoff games for the Canadiens against Ottawa in 2013.

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At 32, the forward is in his 13th season as a pro and captain of the Syracuse Crunch.

“It was a long time ago,” Dumont said Sunday during the opening of the two-day AHL All-Star Classic at Place Bell in Laval. “To be on the starting lineup in the playoffs… that’s a moment I’ll remember. Couldn’t see anything (in the Bell Centre) just a wave of white towels. It is something that cannot be described. Nobody can know what it is until you live it.

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“It’s a kid’s dream come true to play for the Canadiens,” added Dumont, a 2009 fifth-round pick (139th overall) by Montreal. “I will always be grateful that I had this chance, this opportunity. Fans here are pretty crazy and they remember. All the little Quebec kids growing up… we play in the street, ball hockey, we play in the park. For me we are all Maurice, Guy or Jean Béliveau. It was a dream come true whether you play a game, 18 or 1,000. This is a dream.”

Dumont, who is in his second AHL All-Star Game, has 90 NHL games under his belt, including for Tampa Bay, Ottawa and Minnesota, but has only four goals and nine points. He has not played an NHL game since the 2019-20 season and closed the book on this chapter.

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At 5ft 10 and 196 pounds, Dumont is not overly tall. But in his final junior hockey season with Drummondville, he scored 51 goals and 93 points in 62 games.

“I came to terms with that a long time ago,” Dumont said. “Sometimes it’s an opportunity that doesn’t come or an opportunity isn’t seized when the opportunity was there. Maybe I wasn’t at my best and when I was at my best the opportunity wasn’t there. You can be mad and mad that this guy played 400 games and I only played 100… he’s no better than me. At the end of the day I’m grateful. I did it. I still play for a living and still have fun.

“It’s a cliche to say I’d give anything to be you and play those 18 games for Montreal. When you sit back and think about it, it’s a thrill. A blessing. I’m one of the lucky few. Any kids playing minor hockey in Quebec, .01 will play in the NHL and .0001 will play for the Montreal Canadiens.”

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Dumont, who signed a two-year deal with The Crunch last June, doesn’t look too far when discussing his future but likely recognizes that retirement isn’t far off. With 12 goals and 21 points in 30 games, he can still contribute to a team that sits third in the North Division, five points ahead of Laval Rocket with two games in hand.

Tampa Bay Lightning’s Gabriel Dumont works for the puck alongside Carolina Hurricanes’ Jalen Chatfield during the first period of the preseason game in Raleigh, NC on September 27, 2022. Photo by Karl B. DeBlaker/AP

“He’s a great guy to have around,” said Alex Barré-Boulet, another Crunch – and linemate – All-Star entrant. “He’s played almost 100 games in the NHL. He works hard every day and it’s easy to follow his lead; he always wants to get better. In everything he does, I try to observe and follow him.

“He’s a great captain, loud in the room. If we need a spark on the ice, he’ll deliver a big hit, make sure we’re ready in space. He’s a great guy to be around.”

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Knowing he might not get many more All-Star opportunities, Dumont used his two sons for Sunday’s skill contest on the ice – one of them scoring against Lukas Dostal from San Diego and entertaining the crowd with his cheers.

“The day I feel like I’m not needed, I’ll go slowly and quietly,” Dumont said. “You can’t take anything for granted. It’s a chance we can play this game for a living to enjoy it.”

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Source: montrealgazette.com

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