Pascal Rhéaume Explained

Caption:Rhéaume during the 2015-16 season
Played For:New Jersey Devils
St. Louis Blues
Chicago Blackhawks
Atlanta Thrashers
New York Rangers
Phoenix Coyotes
Vienna Capitals
Position:Centre
Shoots:Left
Height Ft:6
Height In:1
Weight Lb:210
Birth Date:June 21, 1973
Birth Place:Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Draft:Undrafted
Career Start:1993
Career End:2010

Pascal Rhéaume (born June 21, 1973) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player who played nine seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He currently serves as an assistant coach with the Bridgeport Islanders of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Playing career

As a youth, he played in the 1985, 1986 and 1987 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments with a minor ice hockey team from Charlesbourg, Quebec City.[1]

Originally undrafted into the National Hockey League (NHL), Rhéaume played for the New Jersey Devils, St. Louis Blues, Chicago Blackhawks, Atlanta Thrashers, New York Rangers and Phoenix Coyotes over the course of nine seasons between 1997–2006. His greatest individual performance came while member of the Thrashers on January 19, 2002, whereas, during a game versus the Florida Panthers, Rhéaume scored four goals and registered an assist for a career high of five points.[2]

On August 5, 2008, Rhéaume signed a minor-league contract with the Devils to return for a fourth stint with the organization, having previously won a Calder Cup with American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate Albany River Rats in 1995 and a Stanley Cup in 2003 with New Jersey.[3]

Coaching career

Rhéaume began his coaching career as an assistant coach with the Drummonville Voltigeurs in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) for the 2010-11 season.[4] He was assistant coach of the QMJHL's Sherbrooke Phoenix for the 2012-13 season,[5] and became head coach of the Sherbrooke Cougars of the Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League (QMAAA) for 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons.[6]

On July 8, 2015, Rhéaume was announced as an assistant coach to the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League (AHL), the top affiliate of the Minnesota Wild.[7] He then returned to the QMJHL as an assistant coach with the Phoenix on September 26, 2016.[8]

Rhéaume was announced as the head coach of the Val d'or Foreurs on May 24, 2018.[9] He was fired from the position on February 24, 2020; he learned of his own firing via social media.[10]

On July 14, 2021, he was announced as an assistant coach of the Trois-Rivières Lions in the ECHL. [11] Rhéaume was named general manager and head coach of the Lions on June 22, 2023 [12] following the firing of predecessor Marc-André Bergeron. However, just a few short weeks later, Rhéaume announced that he would be leaving the Lions organization to assume the position of assistant coach with the Bridgeport Islanders, the AHL affiliate of the New York Islanders.[13]

Personal life

He is the younger brother of Manon Rhéaume, the first woman to appear in an NHL preseason game with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1992. His daughters, Logane and Alexane, played collegiately for the Montreal Carabins and Mercyhurst Lakers respectively.[14] [15] Similarly, his son, Nick, is a junior with the Northeastern Huskies of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).[16]

Career statistics

Team League GP GPG A Pts PIM
1991–92Trois-Rivières DraveursQMJHL65172037841454923
1992–93Sherbrooke FauconsQMJHL652834628814651131
1993–94Albany River RatsAHL551718354350110
1994–95Albany River RatsAHL78192544461436919
1995–96Albany River RatsAHL682642685041232
1996–97Albany River RatsAHL512223454016281016
1996–97New Jersey DevilsNHL21010
1997–98St. Louis BluesNHL48691535101348
1998–99St. Louis BluesNHL60918272451014
1999–00St. Louis BluesNHL71126
1999–00Worcester IceCatsAHL71124
2000–01St. Louis BluesNHL8202530110
2000–01Worcester IceCatsAHL5323365963112462
2001–02Chicago BlackhawksNHL190224
2001–02Atlanta ThrashersNHL421192025
2002–03Atlanta ThrashersNHL56491324
2002–03New Jersey DevilsNHL2141582412313
2003–04Hartford Wolf PackAHL31010
2003–04New York RangersNHL170005
2003–04St. Louis BluesNHL25134430002
2004–05Albany River RatsAHL7824254985
2005–06New Jersey DevilsNHL120004
2005–06Albany River RatsAHL92029
2005–06San Antonio RampageAHL4713132635
2005–06Phoenix CoyotesNHL10000
2006–07San Antonio RampageAHL7915324763
2007–08Vienna CapitalsEBEL3511182930711233
2008–09Lowell DevilsAHL5611193044
2009–10Flint GeneralsIHL7321365735126121814
2009–10Manchester MonarchsAHL10000
2009–10Peoria RivermenAHL10110
NHL totals3183952911444536927

Awards and honours

AwardYearRef
AHL
Calder Cup champion1995[17]
NHL
Stanley Cup champion2003[18]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA. 2018. Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. January 21, 2019. March 6, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190306085544/https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/439/Joueurs_Pro.pdf. dead.
  2. Web site: Atlanta Thrashers vs. Florida Panthers Box Score: January 19, 2002. Hockey-Reference.com. July 24, 2024.
  3. Web site: Lowell signs veteran forward Rheaume, three others. August 5, 2008. TheAHL.com. July 23, 2024.
  4. Web site: Gauthier et Rhéaume à Drummondville. fr. August 6, 2010 . RDS.ca. July 23, 2024.
  5. Web site: Judes Vallée accompagné de Stéphane Julien et de Pascal Rhéaume. fr. May 25, 2012 . CHL.ca. July 23, 2024.
  6. Web site: FROM THE LHJAAAQ TO THE MONTREAL CANADIENS ORGANIZATION. St-Denis. Philippe. Canadian Junior Hockey League. August 9, 2021. July 23, 2024.
  7. Web site: Rheaume named assistant coach with Iowa. TheAHL.com. July 8, 2015. July 23, 2024.
  8. Web site: Pascal Rhéaume de retour chez lui. fr. September 26, 2016. Beaudoin. Charles . La Tribune. July 23, 2024.
  9. Web site: Pascal Rhéaume nommé entraîneur-chef des Foreurs de Val-d'Or . . July 30, 2021 . fr . May 24, 2018.
  10. Web site: Gaudreau . Jérôme . Pascal Rhéaume apprend son congédiement sur les réseaux sociaux . . July 30, 2021 . fr . February 24, 2020.
  11. Web site: Pascal Rhéaume se joint au personnel d'entraîneurs des Lions de Trois-Rivières . RDS.ca . July 30, 2021 . fr . July 14, 2021.
  12. Web site: ECHL Breaking News: Marc-André Bergeron fired by the Lions. Deschenes. Bryan . June 22, 2023 . InsideTheRink.com . October 9, 2023.
  13. Web site: Pascal Rhéaume a choisi cette équipe au lieu des Lions. fr. September 1, 2023 . Le Journal de Montréal. July 23, 2024.
  14. Web site: L’autre Rhéaume. fr. December 5, 2016. Lapinski. Jessica. Le Journal de Montréal. July 23, 2024.
  15. Web site: Perreault, Rhéaume; Daughters of NHLers Record First Collegiate Goals Together. November 5, 2018. Giebel. Haleigh. Mercyhurst University Athletics. July 24, 2024.
  16. Web site: UMass Lowell's Nick Rheaume transfers to Northeastern. June 21, 2024. Sheridan. Mathieu. Yahoo! Sports. July 23, 2024.
  17. Web site: Calder Cup Champions – Players. TheAHL.com. July 24, 2024.
  18. Web site: Winning Stanley Cup 'was the cherry on top of the sundae' for Flint Generals captain Pascal Rheaume. MLive.com. Savage. Brendan. November 7, 2009. July 24, 2024.