Non-french named players that speak french in the NHL

Franck

eltiT resU motsuC
Jan 5, 2010
9,711
207
Gothenburg
Wouldn't be surprised if pretty much all Swiss NHLers spoke French. Every Swiss person I've met has spoke at least German, French and English regardless of which part of switZerland they come from.

From my understanding German-speaking Swiss tend to be less multilingual than French or Italian-speaking Swiss as Swiss German is the more dominant language spoken in the country. Conversely, few German or French-speaking Swiss speak Italian as the Italian-speaking region is by far the least populated and least influential region of the country.

Swiss people do tend to be extraordinarily linguistically gifted though, Martin Plüss was in his late twenties when he joined Frölunda, 2 years later he was fully fluent in Swedish and even had the correct Gothenburg accent. Takes some serious talent to learn a foreign language that well that quickly at that age.

Sven Andrighetto doesn't speak french.

Would have figured he would have learned after two years in Rouyn-Noranda, especially considering how it's a language spoken in his home country and one he likely received at least some schooling in before he went to North America.
 

Kimota

ROY DU NORD!!!
Nov 4, 2005
39,355
14,300
Les Plaines D'Abraham
About Duncan Keith, it is said he grew up at Forth Frances Ontario, a settleman established by french canadian Commander Pierre Gauthier. :laugh:

Whether or not there's a big french population there, I don't know.
 

lafitte25

Registered User
Jun 29, 2011
29
0
pres/near Montreal
In the case of Jonathan Toews he speaks french fluently, his mother is from Laval, he grew up in Laval (suberban of Montreal). Alex Burrows is from Pincourt speaks french fluently, Corey Crawford is from Chateauguay speaks french fluently, Brad Richards is from PEI but speaks french quite good he played his junior in Rimouski, Sid the kid speaked french when he was playing in qjmhl but he dosen't need to make the effort anymore even when interviewed on french tv he dosen't speak french anymore. Gudbranson he played in Kingston ontario close the the province of Quebec he made the effort to learn the language. :handclap: On the otherhand french named players who dosen't speak french in Montreal there are two right now René Bourque and Nathan Beaulieu, there might be others but they don't come to mind right now :shakehead
 

mattef

consider the following...
May 12, 2014
576
258
Montreal, QC
That is the Frenchiest sounding name I have ever seen.

Really? Maxime perhaps, but Macenauer is really not close to french. It's pronounced like "May-sehn-hower" which is pretty english or german sounding. Sounds a lot like Eisenhower. :dunno:
 

Phil Parent

Sorel, 'fant d'chienne!
Feb 4, 2005
15,833
5,666
Sorel-Tracy, Quebec
Really? Maxime perhaps, but Macenauer is really not close to french. It's pronounced like "May-sehn-hower" which is pretty english or german sounding. Sounds a lot like Eisenhower. :dunno:

Sounds german. His ancestors were probably German mercenaries that fled the American revolution and settled in Sorel.

This town is FULL of germans. Some did make the effort to learn the language too. Family names like Spick, Buhl, Kraft, Green, De Rapp, Von De Riedsel, Heyer, Maher, Wolf, Hebert, Steben, etc... are not unusual.

It explains the 3 bars per street deal, too.

Hell, the Gudbransons' mother is a german, she's from here. I think Fleury is german, too.
 
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SenatorArmy*

Guest
By that same token are there players with French names who don't speak French? Ahhh...that's the question
 

GadKing

Registered User
Sep 27, 2010
367
0
Montreal
By that same token are there players with French names who don't speak French? Ahhh...that's the question

Rene Bourque
Marc Savard
Patrick Marleau

Even the media, for some reason, will pull a "NOT ENOUGH FRENCHIES WITH THE HABS, LET'S BRING IN A TRUE GUY FROM QUEBEC WITH TALENT, LIKE PATRICK MAELEAU!!1!"
 

Lebowski

El Duderino
Dec 5, 2010
17,585
5,218
Rene Bourque
Marc Savard
Patrick Marleau

Even the media, for some reason, will pull a "NOT ENOUGH FRENCHIES WITH THE HABS, LET'S BRING IN A TRUE GUY FROM QUEBEC WITH TALENT, LIKE PATRICK MAELEAU!!1!"

Nathan Beaulieu.

I recall some awkwardness the day we drafted him an he was interviewed regarding his French abilities. :laugh:
 

Ezpz

No mad pls
Apr 16, 2013
14,917
11,075
Nathan Beaulieu.

I recall some awkwardness the day we drafted him an he was interviewed regarding his French abilities. :laugh:

Bourque explaining to the media that he didn't speak French please don't hate him was one of the cringiest things I've ever seen.
 

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