The Glendale Star
14
July 8, 2021
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Coyotes’ new coach sees a fresh start for the team BY JOE MCHUGH
Glendale Star Staff Writer
After a season in which the Arizona Coyotes barely missed the playoffs, they will start a new era with their recently hired leader, gold medal-winning coach Andre Tourigny. “I want the players to see this as a fresh start,” Tourigny said. “I don’t want to hold them accountable for what happened in the past. I think that some time in life, when you get a fresh start and get to prove yourself, you control your destiny.” The Arizona Coyotes hired Tourigny as their head coach for a three-year contract. This follows the team’s 24StarTimes_fall_parent.pdf 26-6 record, landing them fifth1 in4/12/21 the
West Division. “It is an honor to be named as the head coach of the Arizona Coyotes,” Tourigny said. “I would like to thank Mr. (Alex) Meruelo, Bill Armstrong and Xavier Gutierrez for providing me with this incredible opportunity. I am looking forward to working with this group and our players to build a winning culture here in the desert for our loyal and passionate fanbase.” Tourigny joins the Coyotes after spending time with Hockey Canada’s coaching staff as an assistant coach at the 2021 IIHF World Championship in Riga, Latvia. He was on a one-year loan to Hockey Canada from Ottawa 12:02 He PM 67’s. inked a one-year deal in
March with Hockey Canada. Overall, Tourigny has been to four international events, making him the first full-time Hockey Canada coach since 2005. But his success continued, with another gold medal victory for Canada. This time for the Men’s Under-18 Team, where it captured gold in 2018 with him as the head coach. The winning continued with his 130-52-16 record as the head coach of the Ottawa 67’s. The journeyman coach has helmed a number of Canadian teams, including the Ottawa 67’s, Halifax Mooseheads and Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. As for the NHL, he The Arizona Coyotes hired Andre Tourigny to a three-year contract as their head coach. (Photo courtesy the Arizona worked with the Colorado Coyotes) Avalanche and the Ottawa Senators but now finds his home in Ar- nounce the news. izona. “I feel very fortunate in this pro“I would also like to thank every- cess to land a coach such as (Tourione at Hockey Canada and the Otta- gny),” Armstrong said. wa 67’s for all their support the past “Probably the best thing about him few years,” Tourigny said. “It was is his ability to teach and bring young an honor and a privilege to coach talent to the forefront. We’re excited Team Canada, and I am very grate- about him leading this franchise into ful for the opportunity to represent the new era.” my country. The 67’s are a first-class Moving forward, Tourigny has work organization, and I wish them all the to do. best in the future.” After the Coyotes violated the The Coyotes searched for a coach NHL’s combine testing policy, they after Rick Tocchet, and the team mu- lost their first-round pick this year and tually parted ways. In his time with traded their second-highest pick to the the organization, Tocchet held a record Ottawa Senators for Derek Stepan. of 125-131-34 and led the team to the With two of their top picks down, playoffs once. In that playoff run, they Tourigny’s talent of bringing new were defeated by the Colorado Ava- players up will be tested right away. lanche, with the final game of their But with a new coach comes a new season resulting in a 7-1 loss. mentality, and the Coyotes could be They found their guy in Tourigny, up and running very soon. and Armstrong was excited to an-
