Blues' Prospect Believes Hockey Canada Has Bias Against French-Speaking Players
Hockey Canada has finalized its 2023 World Junior Championship roster, and one player who missed the cut had choice words on the subject. Forward Zachary Bolduc - a 2021 first-round pick of the St. Louis Blues - believes that French-speaking Quebec-born players enter Hockey Canada camps with two distinct 'catches.'
According to Le Journal de Montreal, Bolduc says that French-speaking players are rarely placed in positions to succeed and seldom receive the spotlight.
Full quote:
"As a French-speaking Quebecer, I think you're going with two catches. Of course, when you get there, it's rare that they put you in the spotlight. They don't put you in a winning environment. On the other hand, it's up to us to fight, except that, when you get there, you know that you leave with two catches, "he said in French."
Of Team Canada's 22 rostered players, 3 hail from Quebec; Joshua Roy (MTL), Nathan Gaucher (ANA), and Tyson Hinds (ANA). Considering Quebec is one of six provinces represented on Canada's 2023 roster, that is approximately appropriate representation.
Bolduc's exclusion from the roster likely has to do with how good the other players are, as opposed to an indictment on his play or any sort of bias. Still, he is having a fine year for the Quebec Ramparts. In 25 games so far this season, Bolduc has earned 46 points (17g, 29a) after posting 99 points in 65 games last season, so his exclusion could be taken as a slight.
Playing for Team Canada on the world-stage in any format is a dream-come-true for any Canadian kid, so his pain from being omitted from the final roster is understandable. In fairness, however, one player's gripe with the decision to cut him doesn't make Hockey Canada biased against an entire province.
Some pretty heavy words from the Blues' first-rounder...
| POLL | ||
DÉCEMBRE 17 | 459 ANSWERS Blues' Prospect Believes Hockey Canada Has Bias Against French-Speaking Players Do you agree with Zachary Bolduc? | ||
| Yes | 118 | 25.7 % |
| No | 273 | 59.5 % |
| See results | 68 | 14.8 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
Top 10 latest hockey stories
