Alex Belzile was never drafted and reached the NHL at the venerable age of 28. He had donned the Canadian’s jersey for six games during the playoffs in the Toronto bubble. It was August 2020.

A little over two years later, Belzile has 13 games experience with CH; two games in 2020-21 and eleven games in 2021-22.

The 31-year-old winger from Saint-Éloi in Bas-Saint-Laurent will remain an influential player in the organization without having both feet in the Bell Center dressing room.

Belzile will now wear the “C” for Captain of the Laval Rocket. In his fifth season with the Rocket, he takes over from defenseman Xavier Ouellet, who will now continue his career with the Wilkes-Barre Penguins.

“First of all, it’s a huge honor,” Belzile told The Journal after training at Place Bell. I am very proud to receive the title of captain. But with the team we have, we will have several good leaders. Here are deans who will make it easy for me. I find it flattering, but I will remain the same player and the same person. I will not change my approach.”

A unifier

After Byron Froese and Ouellet, Belzile becomes the third captain in Rocket’s young history. The choice of the new captain was a matter of course.

While there were dozens of journalists and photographers at the unveiling of Nick Suzuki’s captaincy with the Canadian, the celebrations in the Rocket camp remained rather sober.

“I had no conversations with the team, I had no idea,” explained Belzile. With Xavier gone, I knew we would be looking for a new captain, but that was it. I found out on Monday morning. It was a nice dose of love.”

For Jean-François Houle, the choice of the new captain was a matter of course.

“Alex is a guy who brings everyone together,” the Rocket head coach replied. He often organizes activities. Today (Tuesday) the boys play softball. He is the first to pull out the ping pong table. He always comes to the arena early in the morning. He leads by example on the ice, he is relentless as a player. He has experience, he is good with young people. For us it was a logical decision.”

“What we love about him is his experience,” continued Houle. It has no straight path. He has played in the ECHL, American League and NHL. He knows all the realities and emotions of the players. It is important. Ice hockey isn’t just played on the ice. There is also the human side. Those who know their players better have better chances of winning and developing better.”

In terms of experience, Belzile has played 168 games in the ECHL and 256 games in the American League.

Always a dream

In another corner of the Rocket locker room, Rafaël Harvey-Pinard had an even bigger smile than usual as he described Belzile’s choice.

“He’ll bring a lot to the team,” said Harvey-Pinard, who logically should take on an assistant role. I’m very happy for him. I’ve been playing with Alex for two years and he’s one of the best point guards I’ve met along the way.”

Despite a role as mentor for the team’s recent hopes, Belzile will still have the same ambition.

“To tell you the truth, I still have the NHL dream,” he said. I don’t have a background like the others. I had late development. Even though I’m 31, I still have a young body. I like to think I’m over 25 or 26. On the physical tests I see an improvement every year. Age is just a number to me. I still want to be a better hockey player. But all the better if I can help the young people.”

In a period of rebuilding, CH will need Belzile’s leadership skills to lead the team’s young hopefuls.