Stingers hockey elects new leadership

Jessymaude Drapeau and Simon Lavigne lead the charge for Concordia hockey

SportsMax Sinclair-Carter — Published September 30, 2025 4 minutes

The men’s team, fresh off their first Ontario University Athletics Championship in program history, now have fourth-year defenceman Simon Lavigne manning the helm. Last season, Lavigne logged a stellar 22 points in 24 games, including 12 goals, en route to capturing the OUA Defenceman of the Year award.

Head coach Marc-André Elément pointed out a few of the many quality traits Lavigne possesses that one would look for in a captain. 

“His experience—he played pro—his accountability,” Elément said. “You want a guy who has the respect of the locker room, but also a guy who’s really accountable. He’s going to bring that to our team for sure.”

Last year, Lavigne donned the A for the Stingers. He now finds himself several years into a leadership role, but says he’s spent season after season learning to become a better leader, particularly from last season’s captain and graduate Gabriel Proulx. 

“He was a guy that was there for everyone,” Lavigne said. “No matter who you are, where you’re from, they’re your teammates.” 

Lavigne also adds emphasis on the importance of welcoming the new team members, saying he wants to make the difficult transition as easy as possible for them.

Lavigne’s veteran presence will not go unnoticed either. With four seasons in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, a handful of international games under his belt and a string of tryouts at the Montreal Canadiens’ recent rookie camp, the 24-year-old knows firsthand what his experience can bring to the team through both performance and presence.

“On the ice, I give my 100 per cent every day, I bring my energy. Off the ice, I want to help [my teammates] succeed, be someone that anyone can come talk to for advice,” Lavigne said.

Both coach Elément and captain Lavigne affirm that although bearing the C crest is a big duty, it’s the leadership mentality embodied by the whole team that really makes the difference.

“It’s not only the captain, it’s the leadership group,” Elément said. “They could all have C’s. It’s their locker room, it’s their team.”

For the women’s team, left winger Jessymaude Drapeau will be leading the team in her fifth year of play, which is only fitting after winning the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec Leadership and Social Engagement award last season.

She’s looking forward to the new challenges being a captain will bring.

“I’ve been a part of the leadership group for three years, but being the captain, I think it’s the next step,” Drapeau said. “I’m really proud of that honour. It’s exciting.”

With the team looking up to her, Drapeau knows she has to lead by example—but she doesn’t feel any pressure. To her, the captaincy isn’t a burden, but a confirmation.

“Just being who I am, I think people elected me for who I am; I don’t need to change,” she said.

Drapeau’s competitive edge has always been a big factor in her game, too, which will certainly play a role in hopefully leading the Stingers back to the U Sports women’s hockey national championship game.

Last season, they finished fourth at the tournament, marking the first time in four years they failed to reach the finals and leaving a bitter taste in their mouths.

“We know that we could’ve finished on a better note,” Drapeau said. “But we’re here and we’re ready more than ever. I have so much trust in this team, I know we’re going to reach new levels.”

New levels bode extremely well for the Stingers, considering they’ve won the national championship twice in the last four years. But if there was ever someone to lead alongside Drapeau and make that happen, head coach Julie Chu would be that someone.

Decorated in accolades in both her playing and coaching career—including the U Sports Coach of the Year award in the past two seasons—Chu knows what it takes to bounce back from a disappointing result. 

“She’s a great leader,” Drapeau said. “She’s not only a coach, but she leads our team in every way.”

Drapeau says Chu has really helped mould her into the leader she is today, thanks to her social and “people-person” approach to coaching. She believes that her coach’s teaching is a big reason why she’s captain for this season’s team.

“In my first few years, I couldn’t care less about people, I was just there to win hockey games,” Drapeau said. “Starting in year three, I really became a people-person. I love my people around me.”

Drapeau and the women’s team hit the road to take on the Université de Montréal Carabins in their first match of the season on Friday, Oct. 17, and Lavigne leads the men’s team against the Royal Military College of Canada Paladins on Saturday, Oct. 4. 

While both teams enter another season with high expectations, their captains have shown they’re up for the challenge.

This article originally appeared in Volume 46, Issue 3, published September 30, 2025.