Are The French Going U SPORTS?

While there may be U SPORTS teams in the province of Quebec that compete at a high level, it seems we could have French U SPORTS team, of sorts, playing in France this season. Les Rapaces de Gap are based in southeast France in the city of Gap in the prefecture of Hautes-Alpes, and the team plays in the Ligue Magnus in France. Based on its geography, the city experiences warm summers and cold, snowy winters, so the Canadian lads heading to the city to play hockey this season should feel right at home.

I don't usually talk about the Ligue Magnus as a place where former U SPORTS players land, but les Rapaces de Gap seem to be attracting some solid talent this season who have skated at the U SPORTS level. In seeing some of the landscape that Gap and other French cities have around the centers, it might be wise for more U SPORTS players to look to France as a great place to play and live. Whether it be Paris's upscale life, Grenoble's access to the Alps, Marseilles's location on the Mediterranean Sea, or Bordeaux's surrounding wine country, France offers a little of everything for those players who may want to play hockey while exploring the diverse French culture.

When it comes to the "Birds of Prey", though, Gap may have an insider when it comes to U SPORTS players. No less than three players with U SPORTS ties will suit up for Gap this season, and all of them have been involved in big games during their university careers. Two of them, in fact, played for a U Cup-winning team, so it seems Gap will have a couple of former U SPORTS champions on their roster!

We'll start with the player who has been out of school longest as former Calgary Dinos defender Ryan Gagnon will don a Rapaces jersey this season. The former WHL Victoria Royals defender played three seasons with the Dinos from 2017-22 before playing with both the Allen Americans and the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL. Gagnon's best U SPORTS season came in his senior year when he scored 15 points in 18 games while being named to the U SPORTS All-Star team that played the 2021 Canadian World Junior team. He's a solid addition.

One of the two U Cup champions joining the Rapaces is former Ottawa Gee-Gees forward Mathieu Desgagnés. Desgagnés hit double-digits in goals in three of his four U SPORTS seasons after a solid junior career in the QMJHL with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens and the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. He only got into one U Cup game with the team last season, but it was a big one as Desgagnés recorded five shots in the 3-2 overtime victory over the top-ranked UNB Reds. Desgagnés should bring some decent scoring to Gap this season.

The second U Cup champion to land in Gap is former Ottawa Gee-Gees centerman Anthony Poulin. Known more for his playmaking, Poulin did light the lamp eleven times in 2023-24, but he was instrumental in helping Ottawa win U SPORTS's most important trophy as he had a pair of assists in the game against UNB while playing solid defensive hockey in all three games. His work with Ottawa helped him land a contract with the AHL's Laval Rocket where he skated in one game. If Poulin brings the same work ethic and hustle he showed in Ottawa, he'll make a difference with les Rapaces!

It should be noted that Gap is basically overhauling their entire roster. They signed 18 new players this season as the team looks to improve on the 15-24-5 record they posted last season while finishing in 11th-place out of 12 teams. Gap hasn't finished higher than 11th in the last two seasons after they finished in fifth-place in 2023, so this appears to be a complete overhaul from Marton Vas's team last season after he was fired midseason, leaving assistant coaches Sébastien Rohat and Mickaël Perez to complete the season.

Luciano Basile will return to coach Gap this season after having been the head coach from 2014-19 where he guided les Rapaces to two Coupe Magnus titles in 2015 and 2017 as well as earning the Camil Gélinas trophy for best coach in 2015. Basile also spent time with the Briançon Red Devils where he added a French championship 2014, a Coupe de France in 2013, and three more Camil Gélinas trophy honours in 2009, 2010, and 2013. Clearly, les Rapaces are getting a top-notch coach this season when it comes to French hockey!

No one should be awarding les Rapaces with anything at this point in the summer as they were nearly relegated in the past two seasons, so major changes were needed if they are going to climb the Ligue Magnus standings. Basile, who remains as the sporting manager, will now put the team's fortunes squarely on his shoulders as he's putting together a new team compared to last season's roster. The additions of Gagnon, Desgagnés, and Poulin should help Gap in their efforts to reclaim their spot among the top teams with leading scorers Chad Langley and Dmitri Thillet and goaltender Antoine Gilbert all returning for another season. Perhaps the Birds of Prey will soar!

It should be noted that les Aigles de Nice also dipped into the U SPORTS pool as they signed former U Cup champion and Ottawa Gee-Gees forward Charles-Antoine Roy as well as former McGill Redbirds goaltender Alexis Shank. Les Dragons de Rouen grabbed high-scoring, former UQTR Patriotes forward Simon Lafrance while les Boxers de Bordeaux added former UQTR forward Pier-Olivier Morin. Perhaps with the upcoming expansion of U SPORTS hockey in Quebec, we'll see more U SPORTS players opting for a professional career in France!

The Ligue Magnus may not have the same elite status as the EIHL, the SHL, the DEL, or the Swiss League, but France is showing that they can attract good talent with a number of U SPORTS National Champions and All-Stars making the jump to the professional ranks. And, if things go well, a handful of these player may represent France on international stage one day. C'est vraiment possible!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!