Standing at the foot of the stage, André and Marlène Carrier couldn’t help but reminisce about William’s childhood. Both of Carrier’s parents clearly remember those stickers, as well as the strains of “We Are the Champions” blasting from the speakers at the Pierrefonds arena whenever he won a tournament in his youth. They heard that famous Queen anthem again at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas last month.
“We realized there was a possibility of making it that far this year, but we had to take it one step at a time,” André Carrier said. “We savored every moment, every game. At a certain point, we could see things were heading in the right direction. We were really happy.”
André and Marlène also remember when William left the family home for Cape Breton at age 15 to play for the Screaming Eagles in the QMJHL.
“To us, he was still just a 15-year-old kid. But for him, it was clear: he was going there,” Marlène said. “We were there to support and encourage him through the ups and downs. We’ve always stood by him.”
“He was convinced that this was the path that would get him to the NHL the fastest,” André added. “Two Stanley Cup wins later, I have to admit he made a good choice!”
As André points out, this marks William’s second Stanley Cup victory of his career. He previously triumphed while playing for the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023. That summer, he brought the Stanley Cup to L’Île-Perrot for the first time.
The scene played out again on Saturday, but Carrier insists that this moment is just as special.