French Connection 

While a hockey game is 60 minutes of battle between two teams, often after the final horn, the jerseys – and the logos on the front – are set aside, and players from both squads meet with one another in the hallways outside the locker rooms. Sometimes it's childhood friends catching up with one another. Sometimes former teammates sharing stories, or it can also be an opportunity to connect with players from your home country.

For two skaters, tomorrow night will be the only opportunity to accomplish the latter (at least in person) this season.

Unlike countries like Sweden or Canada which are home to hundreds of NHL players, to date, only 12 individuals born in France have ever participated in an NHL game and this season, only two are currently playing: Pierre-Eduoard Bellemare and Columbus’ Alexandre Texier.

“We are the only two (French players) right now in the league,” Texier said. “So that plus every time we get a chance to go for a World Championship or (international) tournaments it's always a good feeling, it’s a good thing for our country and for the young guys back home because hockey is not big in France. Hopefully, it's getting better.”

For Texier to mention younger players in his home country isn’t just a cliché. With hockey still struggling to get a foothold in France, the pool of high-end players is small, so most are going to know of one another. And, if you’re good enough to make the national team, you’re going to be seeing many of the same faces a lot of times year after year. And those connections matter.

“Our national team is a family, it’s not (just) a national team,” Bellemare said. “Because we aren't so many, we're going through so much together, right? That makes the bond become tighter and tighter. So that makes this whole thing more like family more than (just) a national team.”

Team France ultimately brought Bellemare and Texier together in 2021 when they played in the Olympic qualifiers. But the 24-year-old already knew of Bellemare who at this point had seven successful NHL seasons under his belt; holds the record for NHL games played by a Frenchman (689); and, according to Texier, is “an inspiration” to young French hockey players.

“He’s been in the League for ten years,” Texier said. “He's just a leader… the way he works, and he's been through a lot of stuff. He's a great person. He's a great teammate, and I can't say enough about him. He knows and I know every time I have some questions, I can call him.”

That friendship that was born in that 2021 tournament was something Texier could rely on just over a year later. After dealing with the loss of two family members, the forward felt pulled to be closer to family and to home.

Conversations with Bellemare helped him through the decision-making process.

“I was on the phone with him a lot before this decision about not coming back, of course, and everything that happened,” Bellemare said. “There were a lot of doubts for him, like ‘should I do this or should I not?’ Being an older player and being in the League for longer than him, I was happy to be there to give whatever advice I could in this case.

“I will do it for any guy that I play with but (Texier) is very special because he's like my little brother.”

Texier is back in North America now. He’s played 45 games for the Blue Jackets this season, and he still leans on Bellemare even if their talks come “every once and a while” because Texier doesn’t want to bother his adopted brother “too much.”

“For Christmas or whatever the reason,” Texier said. “When I feel bad when I feel good about life to everything… I know I can call him and if he doesn’t answer he will call me back. It's always, always good.”

As far as Bellemare is concerned, Texier certainly doesn’t need to worry about bothering him. It’s all about anyone who is part of the growing foundation of hockey in his home country.

“This is why we (in the French hockey community) talk to each other as often as we can,” Bellemare said. “We know our path and we know everything about each other. It's important to be there (for one another) and it's also expected for you to be there (for one another).”