Patrice Bélanger blasts Canadiens over 1 short Victoire tribute
patrice bélanger said he was shocked and disappointed by the way the Canadiens de Montréal handled the Victoire de Montréal champions Monday night at the Centre Bell. He called the tribute too small for a team that had won the first Coupe Walter in its history only days earlier.
Patrice Bélanger at Centre Bell
On Instagram, the radio host and Survivor Québec host wrote that it was inadmissible for the organization not to give the champions a bigger place. He said the players were shown on the giant screen only in a very short interview during a commercial break.
He also wrote, in French, that the champions should have been given a more visible role in the building: “Elles auraient pu, voire dû, porter le flambeau pour son entrée dans le Centre Bell.” Bélanger added that the crowd wanted to celebrate and ovate the women who inspire a whole generation of young girls.
Victoire de Montréal champions
The Victoire de Montréal arrived at the Centre Bell as LPHF champions after winning the first Coupe Walter in their history on Wednesday last week. Bélanger argued they had earned more than a quick appearance and said the organization had missed an opportunity.
He put that criticism in blunt terms at the end of his post: “Mais on ne les a pas vues... Gênant...” The complaint centered on recognition, not the result on the ice, and on how briefly the champions were presented to a crowd that could have been given a fuller moment to acknowledge them.
Canadiens and women’s hockey
Bélanger’s post also pointed to the players’ season-long work. He said the team had dominated the regular season and played through injuries while chasing the title, which made the short tribute feel out of step with what they had already accomplished.
For the Canadiens de Montréal, the issue is the visibility of the moment itself. A home game at the Centre Bell gave the organization a major stage, and Bélanger’s criticism was that the champions of the Victoire de Montréal were not given enough of it.
