As President and CEO of Center 21.02, Danièle Sauvageau is closely involved in the activities of the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) Montreal professional team. Don’t think, however, that she won’t get behind the wheel when the circuit desired by the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) settles in metropolis.
In recent months, the two companies have been unable to agree on a merger and have decided to end negotiations. The PWHPA brings together the best players in the world, including the majority of Olympians.
Sauvageau has nothing to do with controversy as his ultimate goal is that there be more opportunities for skaters to continue practicing their sport.
“I want to see players who can continue playing after college,” said the coach, who led the national team to gold medals at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.
“To think that having two professional women’s hockey teams in Montreal is not a good idea is to infantilize women’s hockey. I’m fed up with this.”
“If tomorrow morning a league with four or six teams for the best players in the world is formed, athletes would still be left out. It’s a bit like having the National League and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and nothing in between…”
“Center 21.02’s business plan was built on a much higher and broader pyramid basis than the service offering we have in women’s hockey today.”
Contribute
With the aim of contributing to the long-term development of athletes and coaches, Danièle Sauvageau founded Center 21.02, a place dedicated to high-performance women’s hockey in the municipality of Verdun.
“We want to be part of the solution. The center’s service offering is part of that and has proven to be at the forefront,” she said.
“The center oversees hockey operations, be it physical preparation, on-ice training, and coach mentoring. I’m here as the CEO of the center. So it’s up to me to be responsible for the ice hockey team,” the 60-year-old explained about her role on the PHF team.
“Let’s work now to ensure that our best players can play competitive games on a regular basis. We’re a few weeks away from having more concrete answers,” she added.
Kim St-Pierre the Ambassador
Former Canada goalkeeper Kim St-Pierre didn’t hesitate when the Saint-Laurent municipality asked her to be one of the ambassadors for the reopening of the Raymond-Bourque Arena.
“I was very happy to take on this role because I wanted to promote this beautiful place for Saint-Laurent. I hope that I can inspire the population to be more active in the arena,” said the one who will share this ambassadorial role with Danièle Sauvageau.
Work at the Aréna Raymond-Bourque began in September 2019. The two ice rinks have been completely renovated and equipped with a new scoreboard. The Pro Shop has been upgraded and wood is the main focus in the entrance hall. This $28.8 million project implemented several elements to improve the building’s environmental footprint.
“I’ve seen the before and the after. It’s really impressive. I can’t wait for everyone to see this and use both of our ice creams,” said Kim St-Pierre, who lives in the Saint-Laurent district.
Speaking to the three-time Olympic champion, it was impossible not to mention the return of professional hockey to Montreal with the arrival of the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF).
Would Kim St-Pierre like to play a role at the club, which will take its first steps in 2022-2023?
“We’ll see. Hockey is my passion and I’d like to get involved in some way. You have my phone number.
That’s said!
- Kim St-Pierre and Danièle Sauvageau will host the arena’s reopening event on September 3rd. To mark the occasion, former Bosotn Bruins and Colorado Avalanche defenseman Raymond Bourque will visit the establishment that bears his name.