Guillaume Lefrançois

The press

For Noah Juulsen, the number has a completely different meaning. Last season, the 2015 Canadians first-round pick reached 50…in the Games Played column. It’s not trivial for someone coming back from so far.

“I’ve waited a long time to play a full season, be with the boys, and feel like a hockey player again. It’s been an incredible year,” said Juulsen, who met for the evening duel against the Rocket in Laval after the Abbotsford Canucks’ morning practice on Wednesday.

Last year, Juulsen played 50 games with Abbotsford and eight more with big club Vancouver Canucks. “I missed a weekend because I was ill. Otherwise, I was healthy all year,” he says proudly.

To understand his joy, you have to go back to November 19, 2018, the day he was hit not once but twice in the same eye during a game. Recurring migraine problems then ruined a promising career. His responsibility increased, he had even been employed by Claude Julien for 20 minutes during the game before the incident. Look at his number of games he has played in the last few years.

In the past season alone, he therefore played more than in the three previous seasons together. During these three years, Juulsen drove a moped.

An active player who says he doesn’t “like” hockey anymore is rather rare. Some reach a level of discouragement, but rarely do words go that far.

“The two and a half years that I missed were very difficult mentally. It was tough as a player, but also as a person. Many people expect you to help your team make a difference. When you arrive and things aren’t going your way, it’s difficult. »

The transaction that changed everything

Without the presence of a benevolent GM, Juulsen could have continued to ponder last season.

In the fall of 2021, he is actually attending camp with the Florida Panthers, who had picked him up on waivers when the Canadian dropped him there last winter. Except that Juulsen arrives with very little mileage in the body. 1^ah October, subject to voting; ignored, he will be demoted the next day.

The problem: Last year’s Panthers farm club, the Charlotte Checkers, was in joint custody with the Seattle Kraken, who only had a daughter of their own this fall. So this meant that there would be a surplus of hopes and there would not be room for everyone every night.

A few days after Juulsen’s release, the Canucks made inquiries. Panthers GM Bill Zito immediately contacted his player to explain the situation. A nice touch for a player who didn’t have a special status within the team.

It is a still fragile Juulsen who thinks. “It must have taken me a day to think about it. I didn’t know where I was in my career. »

He finally makes the leap and a year later he has no regrets. “It’s the best thing that could have happened to me,” says the British-Colombian, who plays at home.

The health is still there. He played his ninth game of the season with Abbotsford on Wednesday and had two games with Vancouver.

“He’s not a asker, he’s a giver,” boasts his head coach Jeremy Colliton. We use him on the power play now because he has a good shot. But his great strength lies in five-a-side to play the difficult minutes, running out the penalties, blocking shots. »

The ties to Montreal are obviously severed. When asked who he keeps in touch with, he names Michael McCarron, Charlie Lindgren and Gustav Olofsson, all of whom play at different locations.

“I’m grateful that the Canadian gave me a chance. The first year was good, then I injured myself the following year. The fans have been good to me. But that is past. It’s a good start to the season for me, as a player and as a person. »