Xavier Bourgault spent the days around the holiday break snaking his way across Eastern Canada.
The 23-year-old first drove from Belleville to Quebec City, where he spent Christmas with his family, to Toronto on Boxing Day, where the B-Sens played the Marlies, back to Belleville, and finally, back to Toronto on Saturday morning after being called up by the Senators.
Even though a snowstorm laid claim to Highway 401 during his travel time, it was all worth it, as the forward will make his NHL debut on Saturday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs on a line with Nick Cousins and Stephen Halliday.
“Just grateful for the chance tonight,” said Bourgault after morning skate on Saturday. “It wasn’t easy since going pro, so just exciting for me now. It’s been a long road for me.”
Bourgault was drafted by the Oilers in the first round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. He returned for a final season of junior with the Shawinigan Cataractes, with whom he helped lead to a QMJHL championship.
After going pro and spending two years with the Bakersfield Condors, the Oilers’ AHL affiliate, he was acquired by Ottawa alongside Jake Chiasson in exchange for Roby Jarventie (drafted 33rd overall in 2020) and a fourth-round pick.
His results during his first season with Belleville were much like his stats with Bakersfield, but this season, a switch flipped. Well, more accurately, before this season.
Bourgault made a special request to the organization to participate in Rookie Camp during early September, a rarity for a three-year AHL veteran. Coaching staff called Bourgault “probably the best player” at that camp.
Bourgault parlayed that strong camp into a preseason game with Ottawa, and what was looking like his best professional season yet with Belleville. He ranks tied for 10th in the AHL in scoring with 27 points at the time of the call-up.
“It’s been a while since camp, but it’s not so much training camp, it’s how he’s played down [in Belleville],” Travis Green said after morning skate about the decision to recall and play Bourgault.
“He’s getting points, but to be honest, we’re not concerned about point totals all the time. It’s how you’re playing the game, his competitive edge and his battle level has been high down there and that’s the biggest difference we’ve seen in his game.”
Bourgault’s mother was already in Toronto after travelling to see Senators and Marlies game at Scotiabank Centre on Boxing Day. He said his father, brother, and friends will make the trip down the 401 to also watch his debut in person.
Thankfully, with a better weather forecast for the eight-hour drive.
