A Homecoming, The Last Ride and A Chance at a Championship

For the past five seasons Nicolas Savoie has called the QMJHL and Quebec home. He returns home for one last time to take on the Moncton Wildcats tonight at the Avenir Centre.

Savoie’s journey to the QMJHL and tremendous junior career is coming to an end. The Dieppe, New Brunswick product did it the right way every time he laced them up. It might be his last ride, but Savoie’s time in the QMJHL has certainly been memorable.

These days it’s incredibly rare to see a player of Savoie’s skill, character, and grit play in the same city for their entire major junior career. There’s no question a defenceman like Savoie was a highly sought-after asset over the years within the league. The Remparts brain trust believed in the ultra-competitive, two and half zone defender and wanted to build around him in hopes of landing a President Cup and a Memorial Cup. They have the team to do that this year and are hands down the favourites amongst those teams with championship aspirations in the QMJHL.

The Q is never easy on young defenders. They often find themselves in and out of the lineup at 16 and 17. They often find the transition insurmountable at times with all the pressure and demands of the league and position. There’s no question Savoie had his share of struggles over the years, especially playing on rebuilding Remparts teams early on. He handled all that adversity with the same poise, determination, confidence and relentless drive he approaches the game with.

You see Nicolas Savoie is a throwback player. He competes on every 50/50 puck battle like it’s his last. A matter of fact he plays every shift and every game the same way. He stands up for his teammates. His give a “shit factor” has always been through the roof which is also extremely rare these days. He’s a charismatic leader and fierce competitor who never backs down. You can win a lot of hockey games with players like, but you will always win the games that matter most with players like Nico Savoie in your lineup.

It’s incredibly difficult to play as an overager in the QMJHL. So much is asked of you, Nico Savoie meets and surpasses every aspect of that criteria. He’s been the cornerstone in the Remparts defensive corps since his arrival in 2018-2019.

What about his numbers?  If you’re so inclined, take a look at his stat line over the years and see the progression in his game on the offensive side of things, it’s extremely impressive, but Savoie’s impact with the Remparts organization over the course of the last five years goes far beyond any stat sheet. For the last five years Nico Savoie has been a pillar of consistency in a incredibly demanding market for a very demanding, but great coach in Patrick Roy.

It’s his final regular season game at home, which will no doubt be very special for him and his family. Nico Savoie, didn’t take the conventional path to QMJHL, he was never a flashy highly touted prospect, he just trusted his own path and the process, worked his ass off and played the game and position the right way every time out. Savoie never lost sight of the value of hard work and dedication.

It’s a homecoming, it’s his last ride, but there’s no question Nico Savoie and the Quebec Remparts want to end that ride with a championship parade.