Latendresse was selected by the Drummondville Voltigeurs second overall in the 2003 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) Entry Draft, just after Sidney Crosby, who was taken first overall by the Rimouski Océanic. Latendresse played two seasons with the Voltigeurs before being selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the second round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. He attended the Canadiens' training camp in 2005, but was ultimately returned to the Voltigeurs for another season of development. He was a member of the Canadian World Junior Team that won the gold medal in 2006.
On January 7, 2017, Latendresse's number 22 was retired by the Voltigeurs as part of their 35th season celebrations. He scored 96 goals, 114 assists and 210 points in 169 games with the Voltigeurs.[2] His linemate Derick Brassard had his number 61 retired earlier the same season.[3]
Professional
Latendresse's successful training camp in 2006 prompted then-Canadiens head Ccach Guy Carbonneau to give the 19-year-old a roster spot on the team; general manager Bob Gainey made Carbonneau's decision official by signing Latendresse to a three-year deal worth US$850,000 per year, the NHL rookie maximum.[citation needed]
Latendresse was given the number 84 jersey prior to the start of his first season. While unaware of its significance, he became the first player in NHL history to ever wear the number 84 during a regular season game, which was the last number (from 1–99) to have never been worn by a player.[4]
During his rookie NHL season, Latendresse moved up to the first line after forward Chris Higgins suffered an ankle injury. On November 7, 2006, during his first game on the Canadiens' top line, Latendresse tapped in a rebound past goaltender Dwayne Roloson to record his first career NHL goal against the Edmonton Oilers, 1:04 into the third period. At a press conference after that game, Latendresse was asked about the comments of former Canadiens goaltender and Hall of FamerPatrick Roy. Just a few weeks earlier, Roy had said he thinks the only reason 19-year-old rookie Latendresse remained with the Canadiens is that he is a francophone, suggesting if his surname was "Smith" or "Brown," he would have been back in the QMJHL. Latendresse talked briefly about it: "It's me who's supposed to be 19, not him," said Latendresse. "I will act like a man. I'll leave it to him to act like a child. I don't know why he's acting like that. I've never spoken to him. He should be delighted by the success of young Québecers in the NHL instead of making stupid comments."[citation needed]
Latendresse during his time with the Wild.
Midway through his fourth season in Montreal, Latendresse was traded to the Minnesota Wild on November 23, 2009, for forward Benoît Pouliot. In his first 20 games with the Wild, Latendresse scored ten goals; he had scored only two in his previous 23 games in Montreal.[citation needed]
On October 7, 2010, Latendresse scored the first goal of the 2010–11 season, just 3:33 into the first period, on Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward in Helsinki, Finland.[5] Latendresse's 2010–11 season was plagued with injuries; he required surgery to repair a sports hernia and a torn labrum in his hip, and he ultimately was forced to miss all but 11 games. At the end of the season, Wild Owner Craig Leipold accused Latendresse of not taking his off-season training regimen seriously, and stated that Latendresse was expected to show up for the beginning of the 2011–12 season in top shape.[6] However, Latendresse played just 16 games for the Wild in 2011–12, suffering from a hip injury and recurring concussion problems.[7]
On July 1, 2012, Latendresse signed a one-year contract as a free agent with the Ottawa Senators.[8]
Latendresse was among a small group of Senators players who had planned on attending the 2013 Boston Marathon. Latendresse and the other players had originally intended to be at the marathon's finish line during the time at which bombs exploded, killing three and injuring several spectators and runners. Scratches for that night's game against the Boston Bruins, the players changed their plans at the last minute and elected to return to their hotel for a nap instead. "We probably would have been in that exact same spot [of the explosion], within a block or so," Latendresse's teammate Jared Cowen said.[9]
Latendresse's time with the Senators was short, as he played in only 27 games, missing the remainder of the season either with injuries or as a healthy scratch. He was later informed by Senators general manager Bryan Murray on May 29, 2013, that he was being released by the team, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent.[10]
