Bonneau Article (canadiens.com)
Aug 11, 2003 7:29:35 GMT -5
Post by ED on Aug 11, 2003 7:29:35 GMT -5
www.canadiens.com/english/presse/communique/index.cfm?id=1808
Gloves on or off, Bonneau looks to make a difference
(08/08/2003)
Bonneau realizes he still has a long road ahead of him before he might crack the NHL.
MONTREAL – There’s little doubt that the Canadiens were drawn to the 6-foot-3, 216-pound Jimmy Bonneau for his big arms and bigger heart.
Selected by Montreal in the 8th round (232 overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, the former tough guy from the QMJHL’s Montral Rocket is well aware of what likely awaits him at the team’s upcoming rookie tournament, which opens in Ottawa on Sept. 6. Committed to entering the tournament in top form, Bonneau has increased his sessions in the gym and has taken the rather unusual step of engaging in some spirited on-ice sparring sessions with Benoit Beausoleil, a player in the LHSPQ, the senior semi-pro league in Quebec.
“We play-fight and work on maintaining our balance and equilibrium,” Bonneau explained. “He gives me some tips on how to handle myself, and that’s what I need.”
Bonneau, clearly, is well aware of his reputation and the role he’ll be expected to play, and is determined to be ready when first tested by the opposition. The 18-year-old right winger will stand up for any of his teammates should intimidation tactics be used against them; opposing players, take note.
“Anyone who lays a hand on a teammate of mine will get to know me in a hurry,” Bonneau promised. “It’s my job to protect my teammates, and I intend to live up to that responsibility.”
To succeed as an enforcer, Bonneau admits to needing a certain level of fearlessness.
“You can’t pick your opponent and worry about what might happen,” he said. “You can never back down. That’s the way it works.”
Bonneau is eloquent in his responses to questions that relate to his career in hockey. His off-ice persona is in stark contrast to the tough-guy reputation he has developed on it; away from the rink, he displays a keen sense of humor and is almost soft-spoken and reserved in his demeanor. Not once has he fought outside of a game.
“I do what I need to do on the ice and once it’s over, it’s over,” he explained. “I’ve never looked for a fight. I stay clear of trouble.”
Toward that end, Bonneau minds his own business and eschews the bar scene.
“I enjoy just following my own little routine and minding my own business,” he noted. “If I wasn’t focused, it would be impossible for me to attain my dream of making the NHL. Therefore, I don’t really have any other choice.”
Hard-nosed by chance
It was during last summer’s training camp for the Rocket that Bonneau established himself as a bona fide enforcer.
“I arrived in Montreal as a big forward looking to grow with the team,” he recalled. “But I started to fight and the more I did, the more I got the better of my opponents.”
Once the season began, Bonneau went toe-to-toe with some of the toughest players in the league. Not once did he seem overmatched in any of his battles, winning the majority of his on-ice confrontations.
“I have as a general goal that no one my age will be able to knock me down,” he said. “The more I win my fights, the more I’ll earn respect. That’s what’s happened with [Edmonton’s] George Laraque. He’s so respected around the NHL that he hardly fights anymore. His mere presence on the ice intimidates people.”
In his next campaign with the Rocket, Bonneau would love to add a dozen goals to his record.
“I need to prove I can play a well-rounded game of hockey,” he conceded. “My objective is to play on a third line. If I get enough ice time, my stats will certainly improve.”
In 2002-2003, Bonneau notched a single goal and registered five assists in 65 games with the Rocket, yet he also racked up a whopping 261 penalty minutes. As the season progressed, however, he saw his ice time increase dramatically. The added confidence in him shown by head coach Alain Vigneault was the difference, as Bonneau’s ice time at the start of the year had been practically non-existent.
“I never got discouraged, because I know I have a long way to go, and a lot of hockey to play, before I crack the NHL,” he said. “Two more years in Junior, then another year in the AHL – that doesn’t bother me. A year ago, no one would have said I had what it takes to be drafted by an NHL team, and look what I accomplished.”
With a level head on his shoulders, Bonneau appears to have all the tools it takes to succeed. One can already imagine what 21,273 fans at a sold-out Bell Centre will sound like when they’re chanting his name, roaring their approval after he gets the best of an on-ice opponent.
Gloves on or off, Bonneau looks to make a difference
(08/08/2003)
Bonneau realizes he still has a long road ahead of him before he might crack the NHL.
MONTREAL – There’s little doubt that the Canadiens were drawn to the 6-foot-3, 216-pound Jimmy Bonneau for his big arms and bigger heart.
Selected by Montreal in the 8th round (232 overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, the former tough guy from the QMJHL’s Montral Rocket is well aware of what likely awaits him at the team’s upcoming rookie tournament, which opens in Ottawa on Sept. 6. Committed to entering the tournament in top form, Bonneau has increased his sessions in the gym and has taken the rather unusual step of engaging in some spirited on-ice sparring sessions with Benoit Beausoleil, a player in the LHSPQ, the senior semi-pro league in Quebec.
“We play-fight and work on maintaining our balance and equilibrium,” Bonneau explained. “He gives me some tips on how to handle myself, and that’s what I need.”
Bonneau, clearly, is well aware of his reputation and the role he’ll be expected to play, and is determined to be ready when first tested by the opposition. The 18-year-old right winger will stand up for any of his teammates should intimidation tactics be used against them; opposing players, take note.
“Anyone who lays a hand on a teammate of mine will get to know me in a hurry,” Bonneau promised. “It’s my job to protect my teammates, and I intend to live up to that responsibility.”
To succeed as an enforcer, Bonneau admits to needing a certain level of fearlessness.
“You can’t pick your opponent and worry about what might happen,” he said. “You can never back down. That’s the way it works.”
Bonneau is eloquent in his responses to questions that relate to his career in hockey. His off-ice persona is in stark contrast to the tough-guy reputation he has developed on it; away from the rink, he displays a keen sense of humor and is almost soft-spoken and reserved in his demeanor. Not once has he fought outside of a game.
“I do what I need to do on the ice and once it’s over, it’s over,” he explained. “I’ve never looked for a fight. I stay clear of trouble.”
Toward that end, Bonneau minds his own business and eschews the bar scene.
“I enjoy just following my own little routine and minding my own business,” he noted. “If I wasn’t focused, it would be impossible for me to attain my dream of making the NHL. Therefore, I don’t really have any other choice.”
Hard-nosed by chance
It was during last summer’s training camp for the Rocket that Bonneau established himself as a bona fide enforcer.
“I arrived in Montreal as a big forward looking to grow with the team,” he recalled. “But I started to fight and the more I did, the more I got the better of my opponents.”
Once the season began, Bonneau went toe-to-toe with some of the toughest players in the league. Not once did he seem overmatched in any of his battles, winning the majority of his on-ice confrontations.
“I have as a general goal that no one my age will be able to knock me down,” he said. “The more I win my fights, the more I’ll earn respect. That’s what’s happened with [Edmonton’s] George Laraque. He’s so respected around the NHL that he hardly fights anymore. His mere presence on the ice intimidates people.”
In his next campaign with the Rocket, Bonneau would love to add a dozen goals to his record.
“I need to prove I can play a well-rounded game of hockey,” he conceded. “My objective is to play on a third line. If I get enough ice time, my stats will certainly improve.”
In 2002-2003, Bonneau notched a single goal and registered five assists in 65 games with the Rocket, yet he also racked up a whopping 261 penalty minutes. As the season progressed, however, he saw his ice time increase dramatically. The added confidence in him shown by head coach Alain Vigneault was the difference, as Bonneau’s ice time at the start of the year had been practically non-existent.
“I never got discouraged, because I know I have a long way to go, and a lot of hockey to play, before I crack the NHL,” he said. “Two more years in Junior, then another year in the AHL – that doesn’t bother me. A year ago, no one would have said I had what it takes to be drafted by an NHL team, and look what I accomplished.”
With a level head on his shoulders, Bonneau appears to have all the tools it takes to succeed. One can already imagine what 21,273 fans at a sold-out Bell Centre will sound like when they’re chanting his name, roaring their approval after he gets the best of an on-ice opponent.
