Bad arenas don't do the thing that buildings of their generation are supposed to do. But I can more easily answer which is worst.
#PEI ROCKET ARENA FULL#
I tend to love arenas that are older, full of crowd noise and history and often very bereft of the amenities that are standard in new arenas. Best is a difficult question to answer, because it's hard to compare new and old, large and small, and while I can appreciate how wonderful a facility the Avenir Centre is, for example, I wouldn't say I loved it. goalie school and sells goalie equipment via Blanchard lives with his wife Margaret, and three daughters in Charlottetown.I often get asked by people when they first hear about my CHL arena project what the best and worst arenas I've visited are. I really respect what he does.”Īlongside his duties with the Rocket, Blanchard runs a P.E.I. “I’ve always admired him because he loves the game and he knows the game really well. “Jamie’s done a very outstanding job,” Savard Jr. Blanchard joined the Rocket when the club relocated from Montreal to Charlottetown. Savard Jr.’s relationship with Blanchard dates back to 1985, when they both played in Verdun.
“If we look at the history of the Rocket, we’re looked at by the league as a team that brings out the most goalies,” said Savard Jr. The team has churned out the likes of Jonathan Boutin, Ryan Mior, Antoine Lafleur and Mosher. said Blanchard has played a big role in creating the goalie factory that the Rocket has become known as. Team president and governor Serge Savard Jr. “Seeing the kids excel and reaching their goals is my reward.” “My job is to build up these raw talents,” he added. “I tell my goalies to be smart and read the play,” Blanchard said. The 19-year-old said Blanchard has helped him use his big frame to fill the net, remain calm after goals against, be aggressive when challenging shooters, and to have fun. “He’s been helping me keep focused on my dreams.” “He knows what it takes to go to the next level,” said Lagacé of his coach. He said Blanchard is doing all he can to guide him back to the bigs. The 6-foot-2, 168-pound Lagacé received a tryout with the Pittsburgh Penguins prior to this season. He’s always there to tell you what you did right and wrong. “But he’s always there for me to help me through the rough times. “I have had ups and downs,” Lagacé admitted. “Seeing a kid like Mosher go on to university hockey and become a good citizen? That’s the reward.”Ĭurrent starter Maxime Lagacé credits Blanchard for helping him retain his mental toughness through a rough season that will see the Rocket finish last. “He came in as a 16-year-old, ended up having to play a year in Miramichi, and finally got a chance to start when he was 20. “Evan is the epitome of a kid that never gave up,” Blanchard said. “The reward is seeing a kid excel and go on to become a good citizen.”īlanchard points to 2011 Rocket graduate Evan Mosher as a shining example of why he’s in the coaching business. “The challenge is keeping the kids fresh over a long season, knowing when to push them and when not to,” he said. He joined the coaching ranks directly after graduation, first with the university, then the Abbies, and most recently the Rocket.Ĭoaching QMJHL goalies is both challenging and rewarding, said Blanchard.
#PEI ROCKET ARENA SERIES#
Midway through his second year in Verdun, he requested a trade that saw him finish his career with the Granby Bisons.īlanchard went on to play five years at the University of Prince Edward Island, leading his club to three championship series and one national tournament.
In 1985, he got his first taste of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with the Verdun Jr. He got his start between the pipes when he was 12 years old, and moved quickly up the minor hockey ranks. “I’ve always been passionate about goaltending,” Blanchard said recently.
Now more than three decades later, Blanchard is still at it. It was there in the aged rink’s parking lot where the young road hockey goalie began honing the craft that would later become his life’s love. Jamie Blanchard’s goaltending career began in the shadow of the old Charlottetown Forum.
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