Nov 1, 2023
By Joe Flionis | AHL On The Beat
For William Dufour, perseverance has been a common theme not just throughout his hockey career, but life in general. Instilled in him by his mother at an early age, it’s this piece of advice the 21-year-old carries with him everywhere he goes.
“Never give up,” the Bridgeport Islanders forward said, a serious yet warm look across his face.
“Even if I have a bad game, just keep working, because you don’t know what can happen in your life. Things change quickly.”
Dufour’s mother, Karine Côté, has a unique perspective on perseverance. She was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer on April 23, 2020, relentlessly fighting to the point where she eventually beat the disease and is now a proud breast cancer survivor. She knows a thing or two about never giving up.
“She’s been there since day one,” Dufour reminisced. “Since I’ve been young, she’s followed me everywhere. When she got her breast cancer, our bond just got stronger. We’re getting closer and closer every day.”
“During covid, we couldn’t do anything,” Dufour continued. “I stayed a long time with my mom because she was not doing well, so I just took care of her. We were moving to a lot of new places; we’re really close to each other right now. She means a lot to me.”
A Québec native, Dufour played four seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, Chicoutimi Saguenéens, Drummondville Voltigeurs, and Saint John Sea Dogs. He was selected in the fifth round, 152nd overall, of the 2020 NHL Draft by the New York Islanders before enduring a memorable 2022 season.
Dufour scored a league-leading 56 goals and had 116 points in 66 games that year, helping lead Saint John to the Memorial Cup Championship in addition to QMJHL Player of the Year honors. He also won the gold medal with Team Canada at the 2022 World Junior Championships in Edmonton, becoming the 25th player to ever win a gold medal and the Memorial Cup in the same season.
Yet, at the same time, the promising winger was caring for his mother throughout her treatment. He understands the importance of family and the significance of always supporting one another.
“He did everything,” Côté said. “He was there to make sure I would be alright. I had [radiation] therapy and sometimes people think that it’s nothing, but I had a lot of side…
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