BROSSARD, Que. – If the focus is on learning at the Montreal Canadiens this season, it’s the same thing André Tourigny is trying to do about 4,000 kilometers to the southwest, at the Coyotes de arizona.
Like the Habs, the Coyotes are trying to lay the groundwork to build a team that will have long-term success. Tourigny, who is in his second season behind the Coyotes bench, believes he is developing a culture that will help the organization get there.
“Each organization has its own way of seeing things. For us, it’s how the guys are dedicated, said Tourigny, Wednesday, on the eve of a duel between the Coyotes and the Canadiens, at the Bell Center. How they work, their effort in withdrawal, their effort in attack to keep the puck, the way they go to the net, the commitment of the players.
“We want a champion attitude every day. We don’t want the Tampa Bay Lightning or the Colorado Avalanche to have an attitude that’s better than ours, whether they’re more detailed or engaged than us. That is unacceptable. We must be more dedicated to our cause than anyone. ”
After a transitional first season with several veterans with expiring contracts, the Coyotes are slowly starting to develop a core group that will be there long term with the team. These players include forwards Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz and rookie Dylan Guenther. Tourigny also named defenseman JJ Moser as an important long-term player.
This is without forgetting other players who are not yet in the team’s entourage, such as center Logan Cooley, selected third in the last draft.
And while several rebuilding teams dream of being able to select prospect Connor Bedard in first place in the next draft, it remains unthinkable for Tourigny not to want to win every game.
“It’s a reality in sport, but it doesn’t happen at my level,” Tourigny said when asked about the possibility of seeing a team deliberately losing games in order to improve its fate in the draft. My job is to get the best out of the 23 players in the lineup.
“Our general manager is like that too. Bill (Armstrong) is not happy when we lose. But we also understand the reality of our world. We know that we are rebuilding, that there will be transactions to obtain an asset that will be useful for seven, eight or 10 years in return for a player still useful for a season or two. ”
Tourigny noted that his side have improved from game to game since the start of the campaign. After losses to the Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins, the Coyotes upset the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 on Monday.
The Coyotes face a major challenge at the start of the campaign, as they will play 20 of their first 24 meetings on the road, including 14 in a row on opposing rinks from November 5 to December 7.
And when they are at home, the Coyotes will play at Mullett Arena, the new home of the Arizona State University Sun Devils with a capacity of 5,000 spectators.
“We could have the best locker room, if the team doesn’t play well, it wouldn’t be fun for anyone,” Tourigny said. We eliminate distractions and focus on our work.
“It’s not us who talk about it, it’s the world around. (…) As long as we take care of our players, that they are well, everything is ok, ”he insisted.
Flowers for Guhle
Always interesting and talkative, Tourigny had good words for Canadiens rookie defenseman Kaiden Guhle, whom he coached with Junior Team Canada in 2021.
“I said at the time that he would be the player who would accumulate the most ice time with the Canadiens over the next 15 years,” recalled Tourigny. It’s off to a good start, he’s already playing 22 minutes (Editor’s note, 20:59) per game! And it won’t go down.
“He is a well-prepared guy, a good professional. He’s a fierce competitor and he doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. ”
Guhle helped Canada win silver at the bubble tournament in Edmonton.
