OVERTIME GOAL TO REMEMBER---OLVIER LATENDRESSE
Entry posted by Salmon Kings Booster Club
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<img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2010/01/Latendresse.gif" class="imageFloatRightFramed"> On the southwest corner of the Island of Montreal sits the bourough named after the French explorer LaSalle. Olivier Latendresse was born there on Feb 12, 1986.
Until junior hockey, he was a linemate with his brother Guillaume (formerly with the Montreal Canadiens now with the Minnesota Wild.) Along with future San Jose Shark Torrey Mitchell, the Latendress siblings helped their Riverains du CC Lemoyne conquer the elite Quebec AAA Midget loop in 2001-02. A Montreal Gazette article stated that "that season the Latendresse siblings had terrorized the Midget Triple A hockey league." Both would make an appearance that season as The Gazette Amateur Atheltes of the Week.
Each year the Quebec AAA champion joins five other Canadian regional champions who gather at the Host site for the Telus Cup (then still called the Air Canada Cup). A sidebar here--Victoria hosted the tournament in 1982 with the final featuring Burnaby's Cliff Ronning against Patrick Roy of Ste. Foy in the final. Bathurst, New Brunswick would be the site of the 2002 tourney, host team being the Miramichi Rivermen.
Olivier Latendresse would earn two Player of the Game awards during the round robin. In a victory over Red Deer he faced future Bakersfield Condor MacGregor Sharp. His Riverains would lose the semi-final to the eventual Cup winners, Saskatchewan's Tisdale Trojans. Along with Red Deer's Brennan Francon, Trojans Craig Gaudet, Brandon Kushniruk, and Micheal Olson would form the nucleus of the consistently strong Nanaimo Clippers BCHL teams in the early years of the new millennium. Kushniruk and Olson are now rookies with the Idaho Steelheads. Dartmouth's underage phenom, Sidney Crosby would take home the awards for Top Scorer and MVP. Olivier Latendresse was rewarded for his play by being named the Top Forward. Scouts from the QMJHL'a Val D'Or entry liked what they saw and selected Olivier Latendresse 5th overall in that years Quebec Midget Draft.
His junior rookie campaign netted 11 goals, plus 14 points in 55 games plus two assists in eight playoff matches. He followed this with a 2003-04 total of 65 points in 53 games. He led his team in assists with 46. Playoffs were unkind, as he had one assist in seven matches. His 74 points (27 goals, 47 assist) led Val D'or in scoring in 2004-05. That season Val D'or did not make the playoffs. In his final junior season of 2005-06 he would finish 4th in QMJHL scoring with 125 points (41 goals,84 assists). A short playoffs would net five goals for seven points in four games.
A highlight of that season was the opportunity to once again play with brother Guillaume in the Quebec portion of the annual ADT Canada/Russia Challenge. He got three assists in the two games, two of the helpers came in the game held in Drummondville's Centre Marcel Dionne.
Turning pro, he attended the training camp of the Phoenix Coyotes. Fate intervened, when at the last minute, the "Desert Dogs" airlifted in three aging veteran forwards who took roster spots that may have gone to younger prospects. Thus Olivier Latendresse would begin the 2005-06 season as a pro with the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL.
In 17 games he had one goal and three assists. An internet quote described what transpired next, "things didn't go well for the pivot...minimal impact...jettisoned to the Roadrunners..." Now with the ECHL Phoenix Roadrunners in 47 games he produced 27 points (12 goals,25 assists.)
His sophomore professional season would be one of three teams, three leagues, and playoff glory. The 2007-08 began with another stint in San Antonio, where he had 3 points (one goal) in 7 games. Once again he found himself back in The Grand Canyon State, this time with the Central League's Arizona Sundogs. His 52 points (22 goals,30 assists) for the Sundogs would be noticed, and he would close out the season back in the ECHL with the Cincinnati Cyclones.
While Oliver was still with the Sundogs, on Nov 13, 2007 the Montreal Gazette printed an article titled "Coming of Age:Guillaume and Olivier Latendresse." NHLer Guillaume stated he "has trouble understanding why Olivier hasn't got a legitimate shot at an NHL gig...as soon as someone takes a chance on him...they'll find out he is worth it." Guillaume continues to say that he "still looks to Olivier as a role model to follow. I'm so proud of the way he handles the situation by continuing to work hard.'
Olivier completed the 2007-08 journey with 35 points (7 goals,28 assists) as he helped the Cyclones in the stretch run. Playoff series wins over the Johnstown Jets,Reading Royals and the South Carolina Stingrays led to a Kelly Cup final against the Las Vegas Wranglers. After producing 19 points (7 goals,12 assists) in 23 games he joined his Cincinnati Cyclones teammates in hoisting the Kelly Cup after a game six series win in the U.S. Bank Arena.
As the 2008-09 season progressed, the AHL noted his 2nd overall spot in ECHL scoring (33 points--18 goals, 15 assists in 23 games). Returning to Canada he donned the colours of the AHL Hamilton Bulldogs where he finished the season with a goal and twelve assits in 23 games.
Late in the training camp of the ECHL Victoria Salmon Kings he joined the lone Canadian entry in the ECHL. With Victoria he has often lined up on left wing with Oliver Filion and Wes Goldie, and is a very effective penalty killer with partner Chad Painchaud. To date (Dec 29,2009) he has 27 points (10 goals, 17 assists) in 30 games for the Salmon Kings. From the website, www.hockeyfutures.com one can find the following "Talent Analysis" "...game progressed over 4 seasons with Val D'Or....grew on many fronts...improving his two way play,turned himslelf into a fiesty centreman whose offensive game progressed because of the attention and focus defending his own net first...solid skater...good stickhandler...great stride...skates with finesse...not the biggest player, but he makes up for that with skill and persistence...doesn't take shifts off...works very hard...positionally sound at both ends of the ice...works hard down low...puts himself in position to create more scoring chances...defensively can attack the rush and break up the oppostion cycle...works hard at getting between the net...will get physical..."
Currently (Dec 29,2009). Olivier Latendress has an ECHL carrer 122 points (42 goals) in 124 games and a professional total of 187 points (67 goals) in 198 games. In overtime, on Sat Dec 12, Oliveir Latendresse marshalled all his skills as he cleanly won the faceoff in the opposing end, got open and in full stride sent the puck past startled Las Vegas netminder Joel Gistedt. This is a goal that those who were there or saw the tv highlights will remember for a long time. It is a goal that is truly worthy of an arena that is home to the Victoria Sports Hall of Fame.
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