Corsaires de Nantes

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Corsaires de Nantes
CityNantes, France
LeagueDivision 1
2013–present
Founded1984; 40 years ago (1984)[1]
Home arenaPatinoire du Petit Port
ColorsBlack, navy blue
   
Websitewww.corsairesdenantes.fr
Franchise history
1984–1999Nantes Hockey Glace
Les Corsaires
1999–present[1]Nantes Atlantique Hockey Glace
Les Corsaires

The Corsaires de Nantes (English: Nantes Corsairs) are an ice hockey team based in Nantes, Loire-Atlantique, France.

History[edit]

Early years and short top-flight stay[edit]

The club was founded in 1984, following the opening of the Petit Port Leisure Center, a sports complex featuring a brand new ice rink. It succeeded another club, simply called Hockey sur glace nantais, in the market.[1] Its nickname is a reference to the corsairs, privateers sailing on behalf of the French crown from the Middle Ages to the early 19th century, a number of which were based in Nantes.

The Corsaires briefly figured in the French top tier for the 1992–93 and 1993–94 seasons. The National League, as the top level was then called, was so depleted that it was merged into the second-tier Nationale 1 to form a single, 16-team semi-professional league. Furthermore, five eligible teams were unable or unwilling to participate in the new circuit, allowing Nantes to jump straight from the third to the top level.[2] The Corsaires survived the next two seasons on the ice, but in 1994–95, the championship reverted to its previous formula and an 8-team top tier. Nantes was thus reassigned to the second tier. The team was further relegated to the third tier in the spring of 1995,[3] although it quickly gained promotion back to the second tier.[4]

Second-tier final and decline[edit]

In 1996 the Corsaires recruited winger Dany Fortin (sometimes spelled Danny Fortin), a former team captain and league all-star with the Gaillards de Jonquière of the Quebec Major Collegiate Hockey League.[5][6] He would spend the better part of his professional career, which lasted until 2011, with the organization and become its all-time leading scorer.[7]

1997 saw the arrival of player-coach fr:Dany Gélinas and defenseman Hubert Dogémont, who had previously been teammates in Valenciennes. Gélinas would be with the team for four seasons before hanging up his skates to pursue a coaching career in Switzerland, while Dogémont would settle in Nantes long term, serving as the club's director of minor hockey and president after his playing career ended.[8]

In their first year under Gélinas, the Corsaires reached the Nationale 1 (second tier) final, losing to the Léopards de Caen. Yet the club was saddled by financial problems, resulting in part from a legal dispute with Gélinas' predecessor Vladimir Zubkov.[9] Due to these difficulties, the city of Nantes threatened to pull the plug on the men's team in 2002.[10] The Conseil général de Loire-Atlantique pledged its support and the club obtained a court judgment allowing it to continue its activities.[11] However, during the delay caused by the proceedings, all vacancies had been filled in Division 1 and the Corsaires were forced to accept relegation to Division 2 (third tier) once more,[12][13][14][15] where they would remain for the next decade.

Rebuild and Ligue Magnus ambitions[edit]

In 2013, Nantes was promoted to Division 1 together with their regional rival and victor in the Division 2 finals, Cholet. For the Division 2 playoffs and ensuing offseason, recently elected president Dogémont summoned longtime collaborator Gélinas—then between jobs in Basel and Lausanne[16]—back to the fold to serve as a special coaching consultant.[17][18]

In 2019, the club signed a farm team agreement with the Ligue Magnus' Boxers de Bordeaux.[19] The Boxers moved their prospects to Tours after one season.[20]

Since the late 2010s, the Corsaires have emerged as one of the leading candidates for promotion to the Ligue Magnus.[21][22]

Venues[edit]

The club's regular venue is the Patinoire du Petit Port, located slightly north of downtown Nantes inside the eponymous Centre de loisirs du Petit Port. On occasion, it uses a second rink located in the southern suburb of Rezé, which is reserved for the training activities of local clubs.[22][23]

In popular culture[edit]

In 2015, the Corsaires introduced an unusual partnership with Hellfest, a major heavy metal music festival held every June in Clisson.[24] The team wears a Hellfest jersey for away games, and hosts a Hellfest-themed game during the regular season.[25] In 2019, the festival staged a song contest to find the club's anthem, with Sepultura vocalist Derrick Green and Biohazard guitarist Billy Graziadei among the jury members.[26][27]

Notable personnel[edit]

Notable alumni[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Historique – Nantes". hockeyfrance.com. French Ice Hockey Federation. 27 January 2015. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  2. ^ Branchu, Marc. "Championnat de France 1992/93". hockeyarchives.info. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  3. ^ Branchu, Marc. "Championnat de France 1994/95". hockeyarchives.info. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  4. ^ Branchu, Marc. "Championnat de France 1995/96". hockeyarchives.info. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  5. ^ Girard, Paul-Armand (1 October 1995). "Gain des Gaillards 3–1". Progrès-dimanche. Chicoutimi. p. 58.
  6. ^ "Statistiques : Collégial majeur". Le Soleil. Quebec City. 12 April 1995. p. S11.
  7. ^ "Hockey sur glace : Dany Fortin n'est plus l'entraîneur de Nantes !". maville.com. 24 March 2010. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  8. ^ Biller, Philippe; Mondin, Alex; Boucamus, Cédric (September 2013). Guide de la Division 1 2013/2014 (PDF) (Report). Hockey Archives. p. 51. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  9. ^ "Le jeu des seize musicales". La Nouvelle République du Centre-Ouest. Tours. 26 June 2002.
  10. ^ Branchu, Marc (12 July 2002). "Nantes : la fin". hockeyarchives.info. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  11. ^ Branchu, Marc (3 August 2002). "Le tribunal favorable à Nantes". hockeyarchives.info. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  12. ^ Branchu, Marc (10 August 2002). "Championnats de France : on sait enfin presque tout". hockeyarchives.info. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  13. ^ Branchu, Marc (24 August 2002). "Les calendriers". hockeyarchives.info. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  14. ^ Branchu, Marc (30 August 2002). "Division 2 : désistement et refus". hockeyarchives.info. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  15. ^ Branchu, Marc (13 September 2002). "13/09 Nantes repêché in extremis ?". hockeyarchives.info. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  16. ^ "Un nouveau chef de la formation de Gottéron". 20minutes.ch. ATS. 18 September 2013. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  17. ^ "Les Corsaires en demi-finale". ouest-france.fr. 24 March 2013. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  18. ^ "Les Corsaires entrent dans une nouvelle dimension". ouest-france.fr. 12 August 2013. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  19. ^ "Hockey sur glace – Licences bleues – Entente Bordeaux Nantes". hockeyhebdo.com. 24 May 2019. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  20. ^ "Division 1 : les licences bleues, un renfort bienvenu aux Remparts de Tours". lanouvellerepublique.fr. 18 December 2021. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  21. ^ "Nantes. Hockey/Glace : les Corsaires refusent la Ligue Magnus !". presseocean.fr. 19 May 2018. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  22. ^ a b "D1. Les Corsaires sont-ils prêts à plonger dans le grand bain ?". ouest-france.fr. 15 April 2021. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  23. ^ "Patinoire de Rezé (non ouverte au public)". piscinepatinoire.com. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  24. ^ Ghislain, Vincent (March 2017). "Interview croisée Hellfest/Corsaires de Nantes". metalorgie.com. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  25. ^ "Le Hellfest s'invite chez Les Corsaires de Nantes pour une soirée exceptionnelle" (Press release). Paris: RTL2. 3 February 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  26. ^ Charles, Dolorès (10 January 2019). "L'Hymne des Corsaires de Nantes avec le Hellfest !". hitwest.ouest-france.fr. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  27. ^ Frouin, Guillaume (9 January 2019). "Nantes : le Hellfest lance un concours pour trouver l'hymne de l'équipe de hockey sur glace". leparisien.fr. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  28. ^ "Hockey sur glace. Roussel, le Corsaire de Nantes à Vancouver". presseocean.fr. 3 October 2018. Retrieved 6 September 2022.

External links[edit]

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