(Bromont) We would have thought we were on the show Perfecto. Replace the MusiquePlus studios with a golf course, replace Stéphane Leduc with André Tourigny, and here we are in the middle of a fashion column.
The subject: Utah’s new team colors, revealed four days earlier. Tourigny was, however, treated to a taster; during his visit to Salt Lake City at the beginning of June, he was given a few pieces of clothing, including the polo shirt he proudly wore on Monday at the charity golf tournament organized by the Fondation l’Originale.
So did Tourigny know in advance what the colors would be? “I guessed it, I was like, Okay, that’s going to be our colors! “, concedes the head coach of the late Coyotes.
“I like it, and I like the fact that it’s thoughtful. White is for the Great Salt Lake. Black is for mountain rock,” he lists.
Mountain blue represents “the natural beauty of the state,” read the team’s press release.
The unveiling took place last Thursday, June 13, and coincided with the closing of the transaction allowing Smith Entertainment Group to officially take ownership of the once-unloved franchise. It was another opportunity for owner Ryan Smith to continue his charm operation.
“When the sale was finalized and before the colors were revealed, he did a Zoom with all the staff, everyone. He wanted us to be the first to see him. While I was at the World Championships [in May], he was texting me to show me the facilities. Chris Armstrong (appointed president of hockey operations on Tuesday) also texted me, so we knew the plans. They are very human. They are extraordinary. »
Now it remains to find a name for this club. The poll asking fans for their preference continues through June 20, with six names proposed: Venom, Blizzard, Yeti, Mammoth, Outlaws and Utah HC. Our suggestion from Utah Providence was unfortunately not accepted.
In the meantime, Tourigny took advantage of the last few weeks to close the Arizona chapter of his career. After the World Championship, where he led Canada to 4th place, he returned to the Phoenix area to empty out his apartment, and then found a place to live in Salt Lake City.
However, the transition is not so simple for everyone. “A transaction is part of the job,” he recalled. But for the rest, for your equipment guys, high performance, there is a big human side. Guys are separated, their kids stay in Arizona. Others, if they come to Utah, it means their wife quits her job. This is different from a transaction. When you are traded, you arrive alone in a new group. There, everyone moves, we have landmarks, friends. Everyone pulled together and it’s very positive. We are in good hands. »
To this end, one can wonder if the episode will serve to solidify Tourigny’s ascendancy over his group. At the end of the season, it was rumored that the head coach had fought hard to obtain clarifications for his players and staff, at a time when several pieces of information were leaking via the usual informants.
“There are things in life you try to forget! », he replies, to dodge the question.
“But it’s important to behave. We didn’t know what was happening. And we must understand that the people in place could not speak. As much as our CEO, our owner, the future owners, the league. You can’t speak publicly. We understood it and it was important to behave. There were human situations and that’s where you recognize those who will be there when things are difficult. »
Coincidence or not, the Coyotes ended the schedule with five wins in their last seven games, including three against the Oilers and Canucks, two clubs fighting for 1st place in the Pacific Division.
