Emmy Fecteau | A question, tears and a mission accomplished

“What would you say if I told you you were on the team?” »

This sentence changed Emmy Fecteau’s life a few weeks ago. The 25-year-old Quebecer officially became a professional hockey player.

Selected by the New York Sirens in the sixth round of the last Professional Women’s Hockey League (LPHF) draft, Fecteau showed up at the team’s camp in November with a knife between her teeth. She was part of a group of eight players vying for four positions of power.

Once the two preparatory games in Toronto were over, the team returned home. One by one, the players without a contract met with the general manager, Quebecer Pascal Daoust, and head coach, Greg Fargo.

Fecteau was the last to pass. Upon entering the office, Daoust spoke to her in French.

“He started by saying ‘it’s a difficult day for us, we have a lot of difficult decisions to make,’” the striker told The Press at the end of the line. He continued by saying, “What would you say if I told you you were on the team? ”»

“I was really happy, I started crying! she exclaims. Afterwards, I called my parents. They too were crying. It was great fun! »

No expectations, but…

The Beauceronne knew that she had had a good camp and good preparatory matches, collecting an assist in two games, but she preferred to avoid having too many expectations, especially since the number of places was limited. Ultimately, not only did she show that she was ready to play in the best league in the world, but she convinced the Sirens management to offer her a long contract.

“Immediately, Pascal told me: ‘I’m giving you the option to sign for three years with us’,” she says.

In a league where one-year contracts are quite common, the proposition was reassuring. Leaving the meeting, the young woman contacted her agent, then her parents.

“It didn’t take long before we said yes,” she says. It’s really good, because it gives security to play three years in a team. It’s difficult, making your place in the League. »

By signing this agreement, Fecteau became the first player from a Canadian university to make her place in the LPHF, which the main interested party describes as an “honor”. “Of course I will try to represent USports and the RSEQ well. »

“We are spoiled! »

The season is only three games old, but Emmy Fecteau is already enjoying herself in New York. She lives with two players, including another Quebecer, Jade Downie-Landry, who is playing her second campaign with the club. Their apartment is located directly across the street from the practice arena and about twenty minutes from the club’s new home, the Prudential Center, which is also the home of the New Jersey Devils.

“It’s going really well. […] I adapt well. We are truly treated as professionals. We can say that we live the good life! »

“We are spoiled! she continues. We already had plenty of clothes, we have all the equipment. We arrive at the arena and we have lunch included, snacks, dinner included – sometimes we have some left over and we bring some back for dinner. We travel by plane – the only place we go by bus is Boston. And we don’t go to cheap hotels! »

On the hockey side, changing leagues requires a significant adaptation since, she explains, “professional hockey is really different” from university hockey. “We have less puck possession time. You really have to play smart. »

With the Concordia Stingers, in recent years, Fecteau was one of the most used players. Last season, she scored 9 goals and 16 assists in 25 games. She was employed on both advantage and penalty kill. As captain last year, she led her team to a perfect 25-win season, which ended with a Canadian championship.

In his first game with the Sirens, Fecteau only played 4:39. His ice time increased in the following games, without ever exceeding 9 minutes however.

“It’s definitely an adaptation, but I’m trying to take every opportunity they give me and it’s getting better and better, so I’m very happy,” she explains.

“Every day, I have to make my place. I arrived here and no one knew me because I was playing in Canada. The majority of players come from American universities. No one can say “Ah, I remember that when we played against her, she was really good at it! ”»

Fecteau is therefore not worried about points and ice time. It’s only a matter of time…

“It’s very important, in a team, to know how to accept your role, whatever your role. This is what I try to tell myself every day. If there’s someone injured, I can take her position at any time, so I just try to do that well, keep a good attitude, and it will be fine. »