Gilbert Dionne

Did You Know?

• Dionne was the youngest child of Gilbert Sr. and Laurette Dionne.
• As a youth, Dionne described Marcel as 'my great brother that I never see.'

Career

As a youth, Dionne played in the 1982 and 1983 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments with a minor ice hockey team from Drummondville. Because of his eldest brother's stardom, he was often treated unfairly by coaches, opposing players, and fans. After a growth spurt at age 15, he left Quebec for Niagara Falls, Ontario, on Marcel's suggestion that he learn English and further separate himself from his brother's reputation. He failed to make the Junior-A squad and was assigned to the Junior-B Niagara Falls Canucks, but his skating remained a concern, so he spent a year playing midget hockey before joining the Canucks. While living in Niagara Falls, he attended École secondaire Confédération and learned English from his teammates. In his first year with the Canucks, he did not tell anyone about his familial connections. Following his rookie season, he was drafted in the 19th round, 253rd overall, by the Kitchener Rangers in the 1987 OHL Draft, partly because the Rangers expected him to return to Montreal. In his second year with the Canucks, he ranked ninth in the league with 36 goals and 84 points through 38 games. Dionne was drafted in the fourth round, 81st overall, by his hometown Montreal Canadiens in the 1990 NHL entry draft. He signed a two-year, two-way contract and was assigned to the AHL's Fredericton Canadiens for 1990–91. He quickly established himself on the "Baby Habs Kid Line" with Patrick Lebeau and Jesse Bélanger, scoring seven goals by mid-November before being called up to the NHL as a replacement for Brian Skrudland. He made his NHL debut on November 19 against the Quebec Nordiques, then rejoined Fredericton the next day. By January 1991, he ranked among the top scorers in the AHL with 16 goals and 40 points. He earned another one-game recall on March 18 and skated in the Canadiens' 4-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers.