The veteran leadership of Stingers women’s hockey
Concordia’s seniors leave the team with an undeniable legacy
The motto “team first” lies at the heart of the Concordia University women’s hockey team. It’s the mentality that’s won them four Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) championships and two national championships since head coach Julie Chu took over in 2015.
But Chu knows that she can’t control that mentality. The players need to buy in, setting the collective example and blueprint for success.
“We've had some really, really great alumni,” Chu said after the Stingers’ 4-3 win over the Université de Montréal Carabins on Feb. 19. “There's a bunch of them in the stands today that have given back and really helped to shape who we are."
This season, the team’s seniors have come up clutch in a big way.
Forward and captain Jessymaude Drapeau sits tied for the national lead in points with 38. Meanwhile, forward Zoé Thibault and forward-turned-defender Emilie Lavoie rank fourth in the RSEQ with 21 points each. Forwards Ekaterina Pelowich and Alexis Bedier have also contributed clutch points in their first and second years with the team, respectively.
But at the centre of the team sits goaltender Jordyn Verbeek, the conference leader in wins and the backbone of the Stingers’ defence. A four-time Stingers Team First award winner, she embodies Concordia’s mentality to a T. And perfectly in character, Verbeek is quick to defer credit to her teammates for her success.
“They're super confident, great players in front of me, and I trust that they're going to do what they need to do,” Verbeek said. “I just want to come up and do what I need to do for them and make the proper saves and make it easy for them.”
Drapeau expressed that it’s up to the team’s veterans to guide a younger roster through another playoff run.
“It's an honour. I know I'm a leader,” Drapeau said. “I've built my leadership in the past few years, and we've been through so many obstacles, but also wins. So I know our leadership group, not only me, can help the young players in the next bit.”
Pelowich represents a unique position for the Stingers. A longtime star for St. Thomas University, she joined Concordia for her graduate season in the hopes of competing for a national championship. With the top seed in the RSEQ clinched, she has a chance to do just that.
But Pelowich has added another crucial element: her energy and camaraderie. Her on-ice contributions and locker room presence have made her an immediate fit within Concordia’s identity.
“From Day 1, she stepped out and has been incredible for us, has bought into our culture, has been able to be coachable, but then also has just been a really fun person to have around our team,” Chu said.
As the team begins its playoff charge, Drapeau understands what the seniors’ experience represents. With a gauntlet ahead, she shoulders the load with her experience and versatility.
"We know how to handle that,” Drapeau said. “We've been through playoffs. We've been through adversity. And we're just going to try to bring our leadership in the next few weeks and help the younger players play with confidence.”
While Chu is sad to see her stars move on, she’s thankful for everything they’ve contributed.
“They're really, really special, and we're really blessed to have had them in our program,” Chu said. “They're going to be sorely missed for sure.”
