by Justin Vézina | AHL On The Beat
Patience is a virtue, as the old saying goes.
No one has understood this lesson better than Laval Rocket forward Brandon Gignac.
On March 9, 2019, the Quebec-born center played his first career NHL game while wearing the New Jersey Devils uniform. Little did he know that it would be his last chance to play the big league in a while.
By 2021, he was in the ECHL, and the dream of a full-time NHL career seemed like a mirage from an outsider’s perspective. And yet, time was on the speedy forward’s side.
In the summer over 2021, Gignac signed a contract with the Laval Rocket. A decision that changed his life.
“It was the turning point of my career,” he admitted. “Things weren’t going well in New Jersey. I just wanted a fresh start. You know, it’s not easy for one’s pride to tell yourself to go and play in the ECHL. But it led me to sign in Laval, which was good for me and my family because we were closer to home.
“I wanted to feel better because I hadn’t felt good where I was for years.”
So his mission was quite simple, in his opinion.
First: to prove his worth as an AHL player.
Second: show that he could be an impact player.
And third: to become indispensable and land an NHL contract.
“The ultimate goal,” as Gignac put it.
And that’s exactly what he did, in that exact order. This season, his third with Laval, Gignac has scored 52 points in 54 games. And the Canadiens signed him to an NHL contract in February that runs through 2024-25.
Gignac finally got his first taste of the NHL in the bleu-blanc-rouge and, what’s more, he scored his first NHL goal at the Bell Centre. But none of this would have been possible without number 37’s patience and perseverance.
“We gave him an opportunity here in Laval, but above all he was very patient,” recalled Rocket head coach Jean-François Houle. “I remember that two years ago, he wasn’t in the lineup for the first game. He went through a rough patch and then he started to show a lot of good things, including amazing skating skills and more responsibility defensively. Then we put him on the power play, and he became indispensable. Then he became indispensable on the penalty kill.
“I know he’s 26, and maybe it didn’t work out with New Jersey, but you have to be patient. I’m very happy with his evolution. He’s a player who can play all kinds of roles. And he’s a very important player.”
Gignac is now one of the Rocket’s key cogs in their playoff race. He also has a prankster side to him.
A good example is when he learned that he had signed with the Montreal Canadiens. Gignac received confirmation of his new contract after the Rocket’s game against Rochester on Feb. 3. As the club went into the All-Star break, Gignac headed for a supper with his loved ones. But before he got there, he texted his girlfriend to say that, despite talks, nothing had materialized. He showed up at dinner “looking a bit silly” and continued to act. Then he exclaimed, “I’m getting everyone’s bill” and shared the news.
Gignac treats his teammates with the same positive energy. He makes sure to keep the morale high by playing tricks.
“When I arrived in Laval, I felt really comfortable,” he said. “I was always like that, joking around with everyone. Before, we had so many veterans in the dressing room that I mostly did my own thing and was less of a leader. But right now, I’m one of the oldest.
“So I’m trying to help the youngsters in the way I would have liked to be welcomed. When you see someone who’s not doing so well, I try to play a little joke on them. There are some good veterans who have helped me, so I take that from them and adapt it in my own way.”
With his meandering career path and impeccable attitude, Brandon Gignac is certainly a figurehead on the Rocket’s young team.
