Beyond the ‘C’: The Story of Jason Pominville
AGE |
29
HEIGHT
6’0”
WEIGHT
186 lbs.
POSITION
Right Wing
DRAFTED
55th Overall in 2001
Bonjour tout le monde. I just returned from a trip to Quebec City with my French class, and I really enjoyed myself. This young man (he isn’t really young at 29) was born in Repentigny, Quebec, so I figured I’d tie in my trip. Jason Pominville isn’t liked by everyone, but he remains on the list of well-liked players. When I was visiting family in the Buffalo area, I got a Jason Pominville shirt from a store in the mall. This is Beyond the ‘C’: The Story of Jason Pominville.
In his junior hockey days, he was a leader. He played in the QMJHL (Quebec Major Junior Hockey League). He played on the Shawinigan Cataractes. He had a great last season run with Shawinigan, earning 121 points in only 66 games. He received the Frank J. Selke Memorial Trophy for being the league’s most gentlemanly player.
After being drafted in the 2nd round, he went straight down to the AHL to play with Buffalo’s team the Rochester Americans. I had the pleasure of seeing the Amerks play. They play hard and quick, trying to impress the big wigs to bring them up to the NHL. That’s how Pominville played. In his first two years, he totaled 139 games, combining 47 goals and 51 assists for a 98-point run. When he played in Shawinigan, he scored more and assisted more goals in his final season. Many players say that the NHL and AHL are a lot more difficult than the OHL, CHL, and other leagues like that. With these stats, it’s not hard to agree with these players.
His first goal as a Sabre came on November 27th, 2005. The goal was scored on Washington goaltender Olaf Kolzig in a 3-2 win. After a little while, Buffalo noticed that he actually was pretty good. They kept him on the roster ever since. In the 2006 playoffs, he scored a hat trick in game 2 against the Philadelphia Flyers. In the second round of the playoffs, against the Ottawa Senators, he set a record. The goal marked the first time a playoff series was decided by a shorthanded overtime goal. This goal came in game 5 and here is the goal.
As you could hear in the video, Buffalo Sabres announcer Rick Jeanneret made a huge announcement. “Oh now do you believe? Now do you believe? These guys are good, scary good!” I truly wish these guys were as scary good as Mr. Jeanneret announced them to be. I am a Buffalo fan, so I hope they win a Stanley cup soon. It has been a long wait to have the Buffalo Sabres win the cup.
Editor’s Corner:
Timothy Redinger, writer for Sabre Noise, sent in his statement on Pominville. I didn’t agree with it, but here’s what he said.
“Not a fan of Pominville as a captain. The Buffalo Sabres are a fragile team that needs a standup, loud leader, someone that will make some noise in the locker room and call out those that are not performing. Pominville’s leadership is there, but he is not the type to take a guy on and tell him that he needs to stand up and perform.” I think he will be able to be that kind of captain in a situation like playoffs. He just needs to get his team there first, and then show his true leadership.
On September 18th, 2008, the Sabres realized Pominville’s dominance and skill, signed him to a 5 year/$26.5 million. This would take effect in the 2009-2010 season. His previous contract had him earning a little over $1 million a season. On October 6th, 2011, while in Helsinki, Finland, he was named the permanent, sole captain of the Buffalo Sabres. This marked him as the 16th full time captain in Sabres history.
In my first semester of my senior year, I did a project on bullying in the gay community. I had seen this as a major issue that needed to be addressed. I learned that Jason Pominville appeared in a You Can Play video. You Can Play is a campaign dedicated to fighting homophobia in sports. Not only is this a great cause, but it makes for a great chance to expand. If people start seeing that famous people and athletes are supporting the gay community, then people will start to back off. I always think that people tend to want to model after a celebrities thought process or action.
Jason Pominville shares something in common with some well-known names in hockey. He has dual citizenship between the United States and Canada. His father was born in Canada and his mother had been born in America. Other players with dual citizenship include Brett Hull, Adam Deadmarsh, and Brady Murray. This brought Jason to a choice. Where should he play for international tournaments? He chose to play for the United States, and I’m not entirely sure why. Canada is a powerhouse. They always have been, and they always will be. I would’ve taken Team Canada any day of the week.
AWARDS
QMJHL First All-Star Team |
2002
Frank J. Selke
Memorial Trophy (QMJHL)
2002
Lady Byng Memorial
Trophy Nominee
2008
All-Star Game
2012
Closing Argument:
Many people like Mr. Redinger dislike Pominville in the hot seat. I can see why, I really can. He hasn’t produced. He hasn’t pulled forward, I have noticed. But I think is the only player who can lead the Sabres to their first Stanley Cup win. If the kings can win their first Stanley Cup, why can’t the Sabres? The last Stanley Cup final was a stepping stone for players in the No-Stanly-Cup-Wins category. They want to push just as hard.
That is it for Jason Pominville. It’s been one heck of a ride, and the train slows down in Dallas on Friday (Friday the 13th!) for Brenden Morrow. Just a heads up, you might want to buckle up for Monday. The one you will be reading about is a great player and one of my favorite players; Lots of information and opinion. Even the Editor’s Corner will be lengthy. Any guesses to who it is? Send in your guesses to @NardoneDylan. Next up on the dart board is Beyond the ‘C’: The Story of Brenden Morrow.