Bellemare held on for as long as he could to finally realize his dream. After 10 seasons in the NHL with the Philadelphia Flyers, Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, Tampa Bay Lightning and Seattle Kraken, the forward continued his career in Europe, playing with HC Ajoie in the National League, the highest professional league in Switzerland, for the past two seasons.
Born in Le Blanc-Mesnil, France, Bellemare ranks second among all French players in NHL history with 138 points (64 goals, 74 assists), behind Antoine Roussel (197 points in 607 games).
"Pierre-Edouard is the epitome of perseverance," Texier said. "He came into the NHL later on and found ways to have a long career there. I'm so happy that he can finish his career with this. The Olympics were all that he was missing. He'd already played in two Stanley Cup Finals (2018 with Vegas, 2022 with Tampa Bay) and a ton of appearances at the World Championships.
"Participating in these Games is already like a gold medal for him. But he's a competitor. We're not coming here just to hang around. If you don't have ambitions, you can't play for your country and you deserve to stay home."
In summer 2024, France lost 5-2 against Latvia in the final game of the Olympic qualifying tournament to determine the winner of Group E. Only the winners of each of the three groups in the 12-team tournament would punch their ticket to Milano Cortina.
For Bellemare, that loss to Latvia elicited a feeling of déjà vu. Since the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, France had never qualified for the men's hockey tournament. However, France was given a lifeline, earning qualification for the Olympics because of Russia's exclusion from the Games and France’s status as the highest-ranked team remaining in the IIHF.
"Technically, there were six blown opportunities," recalled Bellemare. "Six times we missed our shot at qualifying.
"We went from 16 countries down to 12 for the Olympics. France isn't part of the top 12 teams (in the IIHF rankings). In order to qualify, you practically have to commit highway robbery and steal a spot. But you never know what can happen during qualifying. In summer 2024, we lost our last game against Latvia and I thought that my dream had slipped away from me yet again. But the door was opened to us thanks to Russia's absence from the tournament."
When asked to place the Olympics on his list of career achievements, Bellemare wasted no time with his response.
"The Olympics are the highlight of a lifetime," he said. "I didn't expect to be here. I never dreamed of playing in the NHL. For me, the NHL represented the end result of years of hard work. But I've been dreaming of coming to the Olympics since I was 7. And I'm living my dream at 40. I'm like my kids at Christmas. People are asking me what I think about the ice and the rink here in Milan, and I'm the wrong person to be answering that. I find all the conditions to be quite nice.
"I've experienced some great moments in hockey. But being in Milan for the Olympics clears everything by far. I put the Olympics at the very top. I know that the NHL gave me tremendous financial security for my family, but in my heart, there is nothing that beats the Olympics and wearing the French jersey."
In 2030, France automatically qualifies for the Olympic hockey tournament as the host country.
Is there a chance we could see Bellemare hitting the ice one more time in the French Alps?
"No, I won't be there," he said. "I'm saying no out of respect for my family. I can't hang on for four more years. I've already moved too many times. I've had a magnificent life in the NHL, but that came with sacrifices from the family. When I decided to play in Switzerland, I was thinking about the Olympics, but I also wanted to find some stability for my wife and kids.
"My son is 8 and my daughter is 6. My kids have already had to let go of too many things. They've had to sort out which toys they would keep in the move too many times. In Ajoie, I can remain a dad. I drive my kids to school every morning and I can go shopping. I'm lightening my wife's workload. In Switzerland, the longest trip is three hours; that's not how it goes in the NHL. But I can't stick around for four more years. At some point, you have to know when to stop."
In the eyes of Cristobal Huet, France's goalie coach, Bellemare already is considered a legend in French hockey.
"He represents so many things for hockey in France," Huet said. "He's gone through so many experiences with the older generation of players. He's still attached to the French national team. He's a great leader and a role model for the next generation."
