After more than 35 years on the job, fireworks marked Pierre Gervais’s Friday night game as he clocked out of a respected career as the Montreal Canadiens’ head equipment manager.
As another season comes to a close, Canadian fans are taking stock of a challenging year for the Habs. On the heels of a playoff run, the team underwent a major management shift, star goaltender Carey Price took time away, and of course, the legendary Guy Lafleur passed away.
Needless to say, a lot has changed for the team in recent decades, but one thing has remained the same: Pierre Gervais.
“The comradery, the family atmosphere,” said Gervais, 60, speaking of what he’ll miss most about the team, in a video co-published by RDS and the Canadiens.
He joined the team in 1987 after five seasons with the AHL’s Sherbrooke Canadiens (1982 to 1987), and five more in the QMJHL with Trois-Rivières and Sherbrooke.
He was with the Habs for their Stanley Cup victory, which he called “an amazing moment.”
That year, team captain Guy Carbonneau, star goalie Patrick Roy and center Kirk Muller cemented their names in the Canadiens legacy.
Montreal Canadiens equipment manager Pierre Gervais gets set for the game against the New Jersey Devils in Montreal Tuesday Feb. 6, 2001. Gervais has been named to the Canadian Olympic hockey team as a trainer for the 2002 games in Salt Lake City.(CP PHOTO /Ryan Remiorz)
“That team wasn’t supposed to make the playoffs, never mind winning the Stanley Cup,” he said. “Game after game, series after series, you could feel the confidence.”
He says he’s become close with several players over the years. At the time of his departure from him, he said he had gotten to know Carey Price quite well, bonding over their shared love of fishing and nature.
“I’ve shared a lot of nice moments with him over that,” he said.
During Friday’s practice skate, Gervais interrupted prep to take a few shots against Carey.