Relying on a very good throw, young Alexis Joseph obviously enjoys hitting the target and, for inspiration, nothing better for him than watching sequences involving Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews.
• Also read: Knights and Cantonniers in the final of the CCM Challenge in Châteauguay
“I really like watching the best goals scored by Auston Matthews, he has such a good wrist shot,” reveals the teenager, color wearer of the Esther-Blondin College Phénix, in the U18 AAA Hockey Development League. I don’t root for Toronto, but Matthews is a good role model to have.”
Alexis Joseph plays for the Phénix du Collège Esther-Blondin, in the U18 AAA Hockey Development League, during the 2024-2025 season.
Photo provided by Collège Esther-Blondin
Joseph, 15, is certainly making a good choice by studying the prowess of the three-time winner of the Maurice-Richard trophy. More concretely, he believes that it is another player who worked in the National Hockey League who has a direct impact on his development, namely his coach Jason Pominvile.
An unforgettable memory
The relationship between Joseph and Pominville is not new. The latter was in fact behind the bench of the Pionniers de Lanaudière, in 2022, when they won together, as representatives of the little Montreal Canadiens, the Quebec pee-wee tournament in class AAA. It was Pominville’s son, Jayden, who made a key play to allow Joseph to score the winning goal, in overtime, during the final.
Jason Pominville, in May 2022, while giving instructions to his players, including Alexis Joseph (right), at the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament.
Photo Stevens LeBlanc / JOURNAL DE QUEBEC / Archives
“It’s a beautiful memory,” comments Jayden, met as part of the CCM Challenge in Châteauguay. Sometimes it comes to mind and it makes me smile. […] Alexis is a really good player, so smart on the ice.”
Now reunited with the Phoenix, Alexis and Jayden are the team’s top two scorers this season, closely followed by valiant captain Isaac Juneau, a defenseman.
“That’s where the chemistry started between Jayden and I and we’re now trying to carry it with the Phoenix,” said Joseph, remembering the famous pee-wee tournament.
“An aura around Jason”
About Jason Pominville, Joseph insists on saying how privileged he feels to have a veteran of more than 1,000 games in the NHL by his side, an athlete who was also captain of the Buffalo Sabers, from 2011 to 2013 .
“It’s unimaginable how much his words carry,” expresses Joseph. When a former National Hockey League captain talks to you, you listen. There is a certain aura around Jason, we know that he has been there and that it worked for him. It’s really positive for the team to have him among our coaches.”
“He’s quite a hockey player,” said Jason Pominville, returning the compliments to Joseph. I see him evolve from the pee-wee ranks and his progress is constant. He has a very good throw and his offensive instincts are remarkable.
The proof was made at the Quebec pee-wee tournament, it is currently continuing at the M18 AAA level and we will now have to see what the future holds for young Joseph. If he were to one day achieve just a fraction of the exploits of Matthews or his mentor Pominville, it would already be enormous. Pominville notably scored 314 times in the NHL, including 21 times during the playoffs. Matthews’ counter is already over 400, including the series.
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