Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
Posted on Saturday, January 27, 2024 2:53 pm EST
Alexandre Daigle sat all the way down to relive his life within the highlight.
The movies and pictures that appeared earlier than him included each good and unhealthy moments.
The 50 targets he scored in junior hockey, his choice first general within the 1993 NHL draft by the Ottawa Senators, his designation as the sport’s subsequent famous person, the multimillion-dollar contract that shook the game.
In entrance of Daigle have been additionally his struggles on the ice, the suffocating strain he confronted alone, the colourful quotes, the rumors about his private life.
And naturally, an notorious photograph shoot.
“A child who has no concept what he is moving into,” Daigle mentioned in an interview this week when requested concerning the smiling younger man on display screen. “With an open coronary heart and really naive.”
His time below the microscope is instructed in “The Chosen One: Alexandre Daigle,” a narrative of unattainable expectations, bitter disappointments and, later, a measure of redemption, which premiered Friday.
The Amazon Prime Video and NHL Productions documentary follows a hockey-loving child from Laval, Que., who achieved god standing earlier than taking part in a single skilled shift. And the teenager was not totally ready for what would come subsequent.
“Reliving it was a little bit troublesome,” Daigle mentioned. “I had been pondering that all the things was damaging. However I used to be 18 or 19 years outdated. Now I’m 48 years outdated.
“I’ve given myself numerous slack.”
Daigle largely fell out of affection with the sport after scoring these 50 targets the season earlier than making his debut within the Quebec Main Junior Hockey League.
“Exhaustion sort mode,” he mentioned. “Out of nowhere… I began crying after the sport.”
It was a time earlier than sports activities psychologists and different professionals have been accessible to gamers. Psychological well being was a taboo matter. Daigle was instructed, particularly with the NHL draft approaching, to “grasp in there.”
“My mind was going in several instructions,” he mentioned.
Regardless of the interior turmoil, all the things appeared advantageous. Daigle was Ottawa’s No. 1 decide and signed a five-year contract price almost $12.5 million (paid in Canadian quite than American forex) that infuriated different groups.
To this present day, he’s credited with the rookie wage cap.
Daigle additionally put his foot in his mouth at occasions, declaring that “no person remembers No. 2” within the draft. The second decide was future Corridor of Fame defenseman Chris Pronger.
“It is humorous that individuals perceive my humorousness,” the previous middle mentioned. “Out of coincidence, however for 30 years folks have been speaking to me about these feedback.”
“It is truly not a nasty line,” Daigle added with amusing.
He additionally made the notorious mistake of sporting a nurse’s costume in a hockey card photograph shoot earlier than his rookie season.
“Nobody instructed me, ‘Perhaps this is not a good suggestion,'” he mentioned. “Nobody to approve the pictures.”
Sporting the identical Jofa helmet as Mario Lemieux and sporting the flashy quantity 91 have been different first missteps.
“Set a giant objective,” he mentioned.
Daigle’s job was to be the face of the Senators, the worst crew within the NHL, getting into the second 12 months of the franchise’s existence.
Issues did not go nicely on the ice, elevating questions on his coronary heart and need, however just like the interior hearth he misplaced as a youngster, there was extra.
“My huge downside was resetting the targets yearly,” Daigle mentioned. “The opposite factor actually match the NHL.”
He would not blame the senators. Everybody and all the things was new. But it surely all fell on Daigle. In each official languages.
“I needed to examine French and English,” he mentioned. “No – zero – coaching and course…lovely.”
Thought-about a draft bust 4 and a half seasons into his profession, Daigle was traded to the Flyers in 1998. There he noticed a famous person in Eric Lindros with the momentum he had misplaced.
“For those who may change that… 100 p.c,” Daigle mentioned.
Issues labored out for some time in Philadelphia, however his play and private life (together with a summer time in Los Angeles and rumored ties to actress Pamela Anderson) would see him transferred to Tampa Bay earlier than transferring to the New York Rangers.
Daigle retired at age 25, solely to return two years later with Pittsburgh. He then caught up with Minnesota and coach Jacques Lemaire, who he credit with turning him right into a two-way participant.
“He appears robust, he is acquired a leather-based face,” mentioned the amused Daigle. “However it’s fairly the other. (Jacques) tells you the way it is best to play. And if he would not do it, there will probably be repercussions.”
Daigle completed with 327 factors in 616 NHL video games earlier than spending 5 extra seasons in Switzerland.
He hopes the documentary explains his facet of his story.
“I had good intentions,” Daigle mentioned. “Expectations and actuality are generally a little bit completely different.”
At first I wasn’t certain I needed to observe this path, however the course of was a “liberating” expertise three a long time later.
“It’s what it’s,” Daigle mentioned. “I did these issues, there’s a purpose.
“Carried out. Go forward.”
Which has it. With a smile.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Jan. 26, 2024.