Mar 20 Montreal Juniors Name Sebastien Courcelles New Team President

The recent rumours about the Montreal Juniors president Martin Routhier stepping down were long confirmed by him on our radio show on the TEAM990 last weekend, however the official press conference was held Thursday, March 17^th to make it official.

The small ceremony prior to the Juniors’ home game against the Rimouski Oceanic also announced that Sebastien Courcelles would be taking over as team president as of March 28^th.

Martin Routhier joined our show, (“The Franchise”, airing every Saturday and Sunday morning from 6-9 AM on the TEAM990)  weekly and we really enjoyed getting his insight on the Montreal Juniors and had quite a few laughs along the way. We wish him nothing but the best with his new opportunities.

Sebastien Courcelles is a young (26) dynamic outgoing individual who played in the QMJHL only 5 years ago. In meeting him during the press conference in his honour, I saw what great passion he has for the game.. Until taking on the role as Juniors president, he was playing in a semi-professional league and working at Bauer Hockey. We wish Mr Courcelles the best of luck in his new position and are pleased that he has accepted our invitation to continue the weekly interviews on the Franchise so that we and all Montreal Juniors fans get to know him better.

Please read n for the official Juniors press release on Mr’s Routhier and Courcelles.

March 17^th, 2011 - Montreal, Quebec

The Montreal Juniors are pleased to announce that Mr. Sébastien Courcelles will become the new president of the hockey club effective March 28^th 2011 replacing Mr. Martin Routhier. In order to ensure a smooth transition, Mr. Routhier will continue with the Club as a special advisor until the end of the 2011 season.

Hockey fans will remember Sébastien Courcelles as a former QMJHL player who played in the league from 2000 to 2005. After his junior career, Mr. Courcelles was a beneficiary of the QMJHL’s post-secondary education program, where he completed a degree in Administration/Accounting at Concordia University. Upon graduation, he went on to an executive position with Bauer Corporation, allowing him to continue to pursue his passion for hockey. ‘’It’s exciting to know that I will now be able to influence a hockey team from the other side of the curtain,’’ he said. ‘’As a player, you instinctively know what you need and how things are meant to look like. But as team president, I can now contribute in the execution of those things, while continuing all the great work that has been previously done, effectively cementing Montreal as a premier large market franchise in the league.’’

For his part, Mr. Martin Routhier will be starting his own public relations and communications company. His contributions to the Montreal Juniors will long be remembered: ‘’Over his three years, Mr. Routhier’s work and community involvement has been exceptional,’’ said Juniors owner, Mr. Farrel Miller. ‘’I have no doubt he will have tremendous success in his new endeavour. Moving the team to Montreal was a tremendous challenge, one that he not only overcame, but did so with flying colors.’’

Those feelings of accomplishment were echoed by Mr. Routhier: ‘’I leave to tackle new challenges feeling proud of the work that was done and also grateful for the opportunity to have worked with the tremendous administrative and hockey staff of the Club. I am most confident that Mr. Courcelles is the right man for the job at this time. It gives me a tremendous sense of satisfaction to look ahead to the bright future of the Montreal Juniors Hockey Club.’’

Tags: hockey \ LHJMQ \ Martin Routhier \ Montreal juniors \ president \ QMJHL \ Sebastien Courcelles