Men’s U18 Club Nationals Recap April 30, 2023 U18 Club Nationals

Caleb Desnoyers comes from a hockey household that has made its mark in
Saint-Hyacinthe, Que.

“We eat hockey. Whether I’m at my mother’s or dad’s home, there’s all the time
hockey on TV and we discuss our latest video games.”

The 16-year-old ahead for the

Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe

, the host group for the

2023 Men’s U18 National Club Championship

, naturally adopted within the footsteps of his older brother Elliot, a former
Gaulois who received gold with Team Canada on the

2022 IIHF World Junior Championship

and is now skating within the Philadelphia Flyers group.

His father David patrolled the blue line for the now-defunct
Saint-Hyacinthe Laser within the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League within the early
Nineties, serving to Martin Brodeur defend his web.

“As soon as I learned to walk, I learned to skate,” Caleb says. “It was
principally my mother and pa who confirmed me how. Elliot has all the time given me suggestions
since I used to be younger. Being surrounded with a hockey household actually helped me.”

David remembers how Caleb was attracted by hockey from a younger age.

“I can nonetheless see him at Elliot’s tournaments when he was about 5,
chewing his gum within the area and specializing in the sport,” David says. “He’s
liked it for a very long time.”

This week, Caleb is relishing the chance to shine on the nationwide
stage along with his hometown group, 5 years after watching his brother put on
the identical jersey.

“When I’m at my dad’s home, I’m two blocks away from Stade L.-P.-Gaucher.
We’re completely happy to make our metropolis proud. It’s so good to have the ability to full our
journey to the nationwide championship after such a terrific 12 months.”

The Gaulois completed the common season in fifth place within the

Ligue de développement du hockey M18 AAA du Québec

(LDHM18AAAQ). But that 26-16-0 report didn’t inform the entire story;
Saint-Hyacinthe received the

CCM Challenge

in December and triumphed within the

Classique des champions

, the brand new year-end playoff event, in April. That win, on residence ice
towards the

Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François

within the last, despatched the Gaulois to the nationwide championship via the
entrance door.

“We had been so pleased with ourselves. We wished to show to your entire nation
that we belonged to the nationwide championship. We hadn’t seen that many
folks packing our rink in fairly a very long time,” Caleb says.

It was the top of an extended, onerous street for Caleb and the Gaulois, made that
significantly better by having his father and grandfather by his facet.

“They had just played their 15th game in 31 days in the playoffs,” David
says. “Caleb performed injured the final 5 – 6 video games of the playoffs. I
was impressed with what the Gaulois had completed for Saint-Hyacinthe.”

Elliot and their mom, Martine, weren’t in a position to expertise the magical
second in particular person, however they had been following the motion from afar.

“My mother was in Lehigh Valley (residence of the Flyers’ AHL affiliate) with my
stepdad that weekend to see Elliot. Right after the sport, throughout the on-ice
celebrations, they referred to as to congratulate me,” Caleb says.

Harder than anticipated

Caleb had a terrific season, ending third in LHDM18AAAQ scoring with 23
objectives and 53 factors in 42 video games, nevertheless it did not begin the best way he wished; he
managed simply 9 factors in his first 11 video games.

“I had set excessive expectations and each sport I wished extra,” he says. “It
wasn’t straightforward; I used to be asking myself loads of questions to seek out options. It
lastly began to work, and it has by no means stopped since.”

“[Caleb has] matured so much this 12 months,” says Gaulois head coach
Jean-Philippe Sansfacon. “He talks within the room despite the fact that he would not have
a letter on his jersey. He did not like his begin to the season, and he
persevered to get the respect he wished to have.”

That respect has made him a high prospect for the upcoming

QMJHL Entry Draft

. He’ll attempt to outdo Elliot, who went 18th general to Moncton in 2018.

Out of sight, near the center

Caleb and Elliot have been aside since Elliot’s junior hockey days, however
brothers nonetheless keep a robust bond between them.

“Elliot watches many of Caleb’s games from away and gives him feedback,”
their father says. “And each time he can, he goes on the ice with him. He
drove again right here on Dec. 23 from Springfield along with his hockey gear in an enormous
snowstorm, and on the morning of the twenty fourth, as an alternative of taking a break, he
wished to play with Caleb and [their] pals.”
 

Some within the hockey group could examine the brothers. Caleb, although, desires
to make a reputation for himself.

“Every time I see Elliot transfer up the ladder, it makes me wish to do extra to
attain him. We have our personal qualities as hockey gamers. I’m attempting to
create my very own path and get so far as I can in order that sooner or later, Elliot might be
referred to as Caleb’s brother and never the opposite manner round,” Caleb says with an enormous
smile.

(Main photograph courtesy of Laurent Corbeil)