Paris (The Palestine Telegraph Newspaper) February 04, 2026 – France national ice hockey team captain Pierre-Edouard Bellemare celebrated reaching the 2026 Winter Olympics at age 40 after guiding Les Bleus to qualification. The veteran forward spoke of overwhelming emotion following France's decisive 4-2 victory over Kazakhstan in the final Olympic qualifier on February 1. Bellemare, in his 16th international season, becomes France's oldest captain at the Games since 1952.
Bellemare addressed reporters in Paris after the team's return from Astana, describing the achievement as a career pinnacle. France secured their Olympic spot with a perfect 5-0 record in Group E qualifiers, outscoring opponents 22-7. The 40-year-old Philadelphia Flyers forward logged two assists in the gold medal match, earning player-of-the-match honours from IIHF officials.
Bellemare’s Emotional Post-Qualification Remarks
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare wiped away tears during the on-ice ceremony in Astana, hugging each teammate before addressing the crowd in French and Kazakh. France coach Emmanuel Peters stated Bellemare skated 19:32 minutes across five games, leading Les Bleus with seven points (3 goals, 4 assists). Le Monde reported Bellemare called the moment "indescribable," noting his debut Olympic dream dated back to the 1998 Nagano Games watched as a child.
Stephen Whyno, AP hockey reporter, highlighted Bellemare's
childhood connection to the Olympics on X.
Stephen Whyno @SWhyno said in X post,
“Growing up in France, the Olympics was the only time Pierre-Edouard Bellemare could watch hockey on TV. “If you ever made the Olympics, it’s an accomplishment of a lifetime.”At almost 41, Bellemare made it. He’s captain in Milan and soaking it all in.”
Bellemare told L'Equipe,
"At 40, I never thought I'd captain France to the Olympics. Every practice, every check, it was for this."
He praised the IIHF's expanded 14-team field, crediting France's NHL-heavy roster including himself, teammate Yohann Auvitu, and Sacha Treille. The French Ice Hockey Federation confirmed Bellemare's selection as captain rested on his 148 caps and two world championship bronzes.
Paris Olympics organisers listed Bellemare among 37 French hockey athletes, with opening ceremony set for February 6 in Milano Cortina. TF1 broadcast his qualification interview to 2.1 million viewers, highest-rated sports segment that night.
France’s Path Through Olympic Qualifying Tournament
France dominated Group E qualifiers held January 27-February 1 in Astana, Kazakhstan. Les Bleus opened with a 5-1 rout of Poland on January 27, Bellemare scoring the game-winner. A 4-0 shutout of Ukraine followed on January 29, then 6-1 over Japan on January 31. The February 1 final against Kazakhstan saw Bellemare assist Adam Rejeb's tying goal at 8:42 of the second period.
Goaltender Florian Hardy recorded a .952 save percentage, stopping 40 of 42 shots in the gold medal game. Hungary and Denmark claimed the other Olympic berths from Group D in Oslo. IIHF rankings placed France ninth entering qualifiers, their highest since 2010.
Bellemare logged 22:10 average ice time, centring the top line with wingers Jordie Benn and Loic Mellanby. France outshot opponents 187-112, converting 19.4% of chances. The win marked France's fourth straight Olympic appearance, first with Bellemare as captain.
Veteran Forward’s NHL and International Pedigree
Bellemare, born March 6, 1985, debuted in the NHL with Philadelphia in 2014 after captaining France at the 2014 Sochi Olympics as a reserve. His 694 regular-season games span Flyers, Vegas Golden Knights, Tampa Bay Lightning, Los Angeles Kings and Colorado Avalanche. Current Flyers stats show 12 points (4 goals, 8 assists) in 45 games, centring the checking line.
Internationally, Bellemare owns 148 caps, scoring 34 goals with 54 assists for 88 points. He captained France to 2024 world championship quarterfinals and bronze in 2017, 2019. At 40 years, 332 days on February 6, he surpasses Sweden's Mikael Renberg (39 years, 2022) as oldest European captain at Olympics.
NHL.com profiled Bellemare's longevity, noting 82.3% career faceoff wins and +47 plus-minus. Philadelphia coach John Tortorella granted Olympic leave starting January 30, stating Bellemare "earned every minute."
Milestone Moment for 40-Year-Old Captain
Bellemare turns 41 during the tournament on March 6, facing potential gold medal game on February 21. Le Parisien detailed his pre-qualifier vow: "This is my last shot. No regrets." He declined KHL offers to chase Olympic dream via NHL route. Family attended Astana finale, wife Emma posting "Capitaine Olympien" on Instagram, viewed 150,000 times.
France's delegation includes 15 skaters and two goaltenders, all IIHF World Championship veterans. Bellemare named alternate captains Auvitu and Guillaume Leclerc. Milano Cortina schedule pits France against Canada in opener on February 8 at PalaOlimpia.
L'Equipe's front page hailed "Bellemare's miracle," printing 250,000 copies. French President Emmanuel Macron sent congratulations via federation tweet, garnering 45,000 likes.
Team France Roster and Tactical Setup
France's 17-man roster averages 31 years, oldest in Olympics. Forwards include NHLers Bellemare, Benn (500 games), and SHL's Tristan Hegarty. Defencemen feature Antonin Manavian (12 NHL games) and Thomas Joubert. Hardy and Quentin Mathieu share net.
Peters employs 1-3-3 forecheck suiting Bellemare's board work. Powerplay units feature Bellemare at right point, 2-for-7 in qualifiers. Penalty kill operated at 92%, shorthanded goal by Bellemare in Poland rout.
IIHF technical report praised France's 58.4% territorial edge. Bellemare won 61.2% faceoffs (152-94), tops among centres.
Historical Context of France Olympic Hockey
France debuted at 1920 Antwerp Olympics, earning bronze. Post-WWII, Les Bleus qualified via qualifiers in 1968, 1992, 1998, 2002, 2010, 2014, 2022. Milano marks eighth top-level appearance. Best finish: seventh in 1968.
Bellemare follows Philippe Bozon (captain, 1998) as oldest skipper. No French player has medalled. Current roster projects ninth finish per IIHF odds.
Preparation and Training Camp Details
France assembled December 15 in Cergy-Pontoise for 18-day camp, scrimmaging U20 national team. Bellemare arrived January 10 post-Flyers game, skating double shifts. Medical staff cleared his knee post-2025 surgery.
Qualifying camp included two-a-days, video on Kazakhstan's Andrei Kanygin. Nutrition plan added 1,200 calories daily for Bellemare's 91kg frame. Team bus to Astana departed January 26, arriving after 14-hour flight.
Media Coverage and Public Response
France 24 aired full Kazakhstan match to 1.8 million, highest ice hockey audience since 2022. Le Figaro sports section ran four-page spread, "Bellemare, l'immortel." Social media #BellemareOlympique trended nationally, 280,000 mentions.
Fan club Les Bleus Bleus sold 5,000 replica captain jerseys in 48 hours. Milano Cortina expects 12,000 French supporters. Eurosport secured full tournament rights, projecting 15 million viewers.
Tournament Schedule and Group Draw
France drew Group C with Canada, Switzerland, and Denmark at PalaOlimpia, Cortina d'Ampezzo. Schedule:
- February 8 vs Canada, 5:10pm CET
- February 11 vs Switzerland, 12:20pm
- February 14 vs Denmark, 8:40pm
- Quarterfinals February 18 if top two
Medal round runs February 19-21. Bellemare targets playoff berth, telling RTL "Canada first, then dreams."
Legacy Impact on French Ice Hockey
Bellemare's milestone coincides with France's 2026 IIHF Worlds hosting in Nice. Federation president Nathalie Biotherm credited his leadership for 15% youth registration rise. Dragons de Rouen, Bellemare's youth club, named rink after him January 20.
Philadelphia Flyers planned "Go Pierre Go" banner for next home game. IIHF Hall of Fame committee lists Bellemare among 2027 candidates.