Don’t let Utah Hockey Club head coach André Tourigny’s appearance fool you. He may look like the leader of a biker gang, but deep down he’s a family man — and he’s excited for Christmas.
His kids are coming to town for the holidays, which means Tourigny’s attention shifts from the ice to the table. It’s board game time.
Tourigny said in his pregame press conference Monday that his family is really into “Settlers of Catan.” But, as you might expect from someone whose job is to win, he tends to get competitive.
“I have a tough time to close that switch,” he said of his competitive nature.
To Tourigny, family is everything. He broke the mold of normal press conferences by telling a parable-type story to describe his relationship with his family.
A parable
He spoke of a wealthy man whose oldest child was turning 30. For his 30th birthday, the father offered his son anything his heart desired — and he meant anything. But rather than asking for an expensive car, a house, a nice watch or any other material thing, he chose a month of camping with the family.
When the father asked the son why, he gave an answer that was wise beyond his years.
“Because that’s the time where you really connect with the family,” he said.
He spoke of playing cards and board games, sitting around the fire and making meaningful memories.
“It’s a good opportunity to connect with people,” Tourigny said of the holiday season. “For us, Christmas is board games, cards, chirping and having fun — and going back for another piece of whatever sweet we can find, (then) going back for another game.”
A (forced) break from hockey
A normal day in Tourigny’s life includes watching several other NHL teams. He particularly likes being in the western time zones because they allow him to watch more games in a day. But a league-wide three-day break means there’s no NHL hockey to watch.
As excruciating as it may seem to not be able to watch hockey for three days, Tourigny appreciates the break because it allows him to stay focused on his family. What he didn’t mention, though, is whether he’ll still watch the World Junior Championship, which commences on Dec. 26.