PITTSBURGH — Pascal Dupuis makes a firm first impression.
The versatile Pittsburgh Penguins forward has played for four different NHL teams in his pro career and on each occasion in his debut performance for the Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers, Atlanta Thrashers and the Penguins, Dupuis has scored a goal.
But it's not the first impression that has kept Dupuis in the NHL, despite the fact that he was never drafted. It's his perseverance and determination.
In his draft year, playing for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the QMJHL, Dupuis' season was cut short to 44 games after he suffered a seriously fractured leg around Christmas time.
Versatile Penguins forward Pascal Dupuis epitomizes the perseverance and determination of his team. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
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Still, then Calgary Flames scout Tom Thompson admired Dupuis' competitiveness and hockey sense, so the teenager was invited to the 1997 Flames training camp.
"I realized I had a long way to go after that experience," said Dupuis, who now finds himself three victories away from advancing to the Stanley Cup final after his Penguins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2 in the third-round series opener on Friday.
Dupuis returned to junior for three more seasons and in his overage year, he experienced a breakout season with 50 goals and 105 points in 61 games for the Shawinigan Cataractes.
"I went back for that season to give my dream of playing in the NHL one last kick at the can," Dupuis said.
The last kick was good, splitting the uprights. Thompson, who became the Wild assistant GM, signed Dupuis as a free agent in Aug. 2000.
"When he came to that first training camp [with the Flames], he wasn't strong enough," Thompson said from Palm Springs, Calif. on Saturday, where the Wild was conducting their scouting meetings. "We're in the projection business. I felt that if he grew physically, he would become a decent player.
"He was a very good positional player and we felt he could play a lot of roles. He's not a great player, but he can play four-on-four, on the power-play and penalty killing units. He can play both wings as a checker or on the top two lines."
The diligent Dupuis currently skates on the left side of centre Sidney Crosby and right wing Marian Hossa.
Thompson has watched Dupuis grow up in the past decade. He remembers a shy kid from Laval, Que., who had trouble crossing the border for his first training camp in Minnesota because he incorrectly signed his immigration papers, to a guy willing to play legendary Boston Bruins forward Milt Schmidt in the film, The Rocket, a few years ago.
Wild fans will forever be grateful to Dupuis for his magnificent performance in the critical seventh and deciding game against the Vancouver Canucks five years ago. Down 2-0 in the second period, Dupuis scored twice to lead Minnesota to a come-from-behind win and a berth in Western Conference final.
Now here is again in another conference final, having a ball. He was shocked three months ago to be included in the trade that brought Hossa to the Penguins in exchange for Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen, prospect Angelo Esposito as well as a first-round draft pick. It also was a hectic time for his family because wife Carole-Lyne was about to give birth to daughter Zoe, the couple's third child after four-year-old daughter Maeva and son Kody, two.
"I didn't expect the trade at all," said the 29-year-old Dupuis, who grew cheering for the Quebec Nordiques and idolizing Michel Goulet. "I was all over Hoss. I was bugging him that he was going to like his new city. Then I'm part of the trade.
"I don't get too excited. But it's been great here and I like the opportunity."
