For days now, Montreal Canadiens fans and media have eagerly been awaiting newly appointed New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy’s return to the Bell Centre.
And although the former Canadiens goalie had repeated many times that he did not want Thursday evening to be about him, he was undoubtedly touched when the Montreal faithful gave him a standing ovation and touching video tribute.
“I didn’t know what to expect. I never look at the clock, but I got caught looking a bit, and I saw something,” Roy told reporters after the game concluded in the home team’s favour. “In games like this, you just want to be focused. I said it all along ā it was not about me. It was about our team.”
The 58-year-old, who was visibly emotional when a spotlight shined on his retired No. 33 during the national anthem, had been dodging questions about his deep ties to Montreal for the better part of 48 hours.
š«”An Incredible Scene: The Centre Bell erupts in cheers as a video montage for @NYIslanders head coach Patrick Roy is played during the Canadian National Anthem#Isles | @CanadiensMTL | @brendanmburke pic.twitter.com/nczEMfMEO2
— Isles on MSGSN (@IslesMSGN) January 26, 2024
But with the game over, Roy, a four-time Stanley Cup champion, made sure to thank the city he called home for the first 11 years of his career.
“Iād like to thank the Montreal Canadiens for that; that was really nice of them what they did,” Roy said. “The fans were like usual — this is a good crowd. Like in New York… they love their team, and they want to support them, and I’m thankful for that.”
The standing ovation came as no surprise, with the Quebec City native being a key player in the Canadiens’ last two championships (1986 and 1993). And despite leaving Montreal under rocky conditions by demanding a trade back in 1995, Roy, who won two more Cups with the Colorado Avalanche, is clearly still beloved in his home province.
But with a record of 1-2-0 to begin his Islanders tenure, Roy, who last held an NHL coaching job in 2016, is likely relieved to have gotten the Canadiens visit over and done with.
And while New York still sits in a playoff picture, he can now focus on racking up some wins against less “familiar” opponents.
- You might also like:
- Canadiens fans show love for Patrick Roy in return to Montreal