The Canadian Paralympic Committee joins the Para sport community in mourning the loss of Pierre Pichette, a Para sport pioneer and one of the best to ever wear the Team Canada jersey.
Pichette was a longtime Para ice hockey player, helping the sport grow immensely over its first 15 years on the international stage. He was one of the first athletes to make an impact in his sport, making his Paralympic debut in 1994, the first year Para ice hockey was included at the Games. Arguably the world’s top goaltender at the time, he helped Canada win a bronze medal.
He went on to represent Canada at the 1998 and 2002 Paralympic Winter Games as well, capturing silver in 1998. He also was part of Canada’s world championship-winning squad in 2000, the first year the country won the world title, adding to a bronze in 1996.
A leader on and off the ice who loved his sport, he played a significant role in the development of the Para ice hockey in its early days. He continued to follow and promote his sport after his retirement, especially in his home province of Quebec. He remains one of the best Para athletes to come out of Quebec.
Pichette passed away this month at the age of 68 in Longueuil, Quebec, but his impressive career, passion for sport, and the impact he has made on the Canadian Para ice hockey community will live on.
For more about Pichette’s life and career, click here.
