Fear not, Quebec hockey fans. There will be a Quebecer in men’s Olympic hockey after all

When Hockey Canada announced who would wear the Maple Leaf for the men’s hockey team, not one player from Quebec was on the roster.

The only Quebec-born player with even a chance of being selected was Montreal Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault, but a slow start to the NHL season forced decision-makers to look elsewhere.

It's a striking omission. The province that produced Mario Lemieux, Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur (and Guy Lafleur, and Maurice Richard, and Jean Beliveau, and Mike Bossy, and, and, and…) will not have a man playing hockey for Team Canada at the Olympics. (Quebecers Marie-Philip Poulin and Ann-Renée Desbiens will suit up for Canada’s women’s team).

It marks the first time since 1952 — when the Edmonton Mercurys represented the country and won gold in Oslo, Norway.

But stepping in to save the province’s hockey honour is Phil Pietroniro. No, he won’t be wearing the Maple Leaf, but instead, a bright blue Italian jersey.

The 31-year-old was born in Saint-Eustache, Que., and played four seasons in the QMJHL (Shawinigan, Val-d'Or, Gatineau, Victoriaville) and then ECHL (Utah). 

Eventually, Pietroniro packed his bags and headed to Europe, landing first in Italy, where his dad, Marco, played professionally. Eventually, the young Pietroniro was able to obtain an Italian passport.

The defenceman’s play caught the eye of the Italian national team and he has been suiting up for the Azzurri in international games, but nothing was guaranteed — until he got a call from the coach about the Olympics.

“Obviously that was a great feeling. [I’m] super honoured and grateful and very happy,” he said. 

Pietroniro comes from a hockey family. All four of his brothers play professionally, and his father still coaches at Bishop’s College School in Sherbrooke, Que., (an independent boarding prep school) and is the general director at Académie Universel. Marco will be in the stands to watch his son, the Olympian.

“We knew that he was going to be the only Quebecer going to participate. It’s really a privilege to be an Olympic athlete and then to be able to share this experience with him is another privilege,” he said.

Does Pietroniro feel any extra pressure being the only Quebecer to play in the men’s tournament? 

"Not at all. Personally, I had no idea. So I had no time to think about that but [I’m] definitely happy to be there,” he said in an interview from his home in Kladno, Czechia, where Pietroniro plays professionally.

And who is the Kladno Knights’ president and occasional player? None other than hockey legend Jaromir Jagr. The 53-year-old who sits in second spot on the NHL’s all-time points list is even part owner of the club.