Inducted into the QMJHL Hall of Fame, Maxime Talbot still has imposter syndrome

Former Hull and Gatineau Olympiques captain Maxime Talbot was inducted into the Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) Hall of Fame on Wednesday night. The forward played four seasons in the league before leading a brilliant career in the National Hockey League (NHL).

He is inducted alongside former Ottawa Senators player Alexandre Daigle, as well as former Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron, Reginald Savage and Gilles Courteau.

Talbot does not hide the fact that he still has a slight feeling of being an imposter as he earns his place among the immortals of Quebec junior hockey.

I almost don’t believe it. I did my business, I worked hard and it was done with pleasure. I was lucky, I was in good teamsTalbot humbly asserts, joking that he now asks his wife to call him. Hall of Famerrather than Maxime.

This is such a wonderful recognition, I am very proud of it!

Talbot began his career with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in 2000, before moving to the Hull Olympiques with whom he won two President’s Cups, in 2003 and 2004.

He collected 299 points in 249 regular season games, in addition to an impressive total of 82 points in 52 playoff games. Performances that allowed him to win the Guy-Lafleur Trophy, awarded to the most valuable player of the series, and to represent Canada at the World Junior Championship.

[Le commissaire] told me that it’s not just what I did in junior, but also how I made the QMJHL and the rest of my careerspecifies the former number 25 with the Olympiques, who retired his jersey in 2012.

Mad Max was drafted by the Penguins of Pittsburghin the eighth round in 2002, and won the Stanley Cup in 2009.

I played 11 seasons in the National League, more than 1000 professional games. I went into exile in Russia [pour quelques saisons]. I learned a lot and I am proud of my journey.Talbot exclaims.

The best moments and those to come

His greatest pride remains that all his accomplishments in hockey were accomplished with pleasure. Talbot has difficulty identifying a favourite memory from his junior moments.

Whether it was the pre-game stretches, the silly things we did. I remember the activities of team building or Jean-Michel [Daoust] who was next to me while I was playing cardsrecalls the former player.

He also has a thought for Roberto Bissonnette, who died in 2016.The day of his exchange, it was one of the most difficult days for me, when Benoît Groulx [l’entraîneur] had told me. We had a beer and we had cried for a long timehe says.

Talbot insists that the QMJHL was the school of life for him.

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There are a lot of events that define you in the person you become. Sports in general are so good for these teenagers and young adults. You learn how to win, you learn how to lose. [Tu vis] frustrations, you push yourself, you get benched, you get injured and then you come back. You learn everythingsays the 40-year-old, who now offers his advice to younger people.

You have to get out of your comfort zone, but you have to break it down into smaller goals so they’re achievable. And you know, if you don’t accomplish everything, it’s not the end of the world.

Now retired for five years, Talbot can boast of having had experiences as a player agent, coach, television analyst and entrepreneur.

I’m filling my tool belt to prepare myself further for the future because 40 is old in hockey, but it’s young for the job market.he specifies.

There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t miss being in a hockey room, the camaraderie of a team.says the Quebecer.

I try not to be jealous, but rather in gratitude. You should not cry because it is over, but rather smile because it happened. When I think about it, I tell myself that what I experienced is great.concludes Talbot, very grateful for everything that the QMJHL and hockey brought him.