Mikaël Huchette made two observations at Philadelphia Flyers training camp: John Tortorella is not the tyrannical coach that is often described from the outside and… he will never be able to criticize Patrick Roy’s training again!
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Fresh from the Flyers camp, which had offered him an invite after not being drafted for a second straight year, Huchette had an ear-to-ear smile as he shared his experience with Quebec media on Wednesday morning.
And it’s not because Tortorella spared him, quite the opposite! A photo of him lying full-length on the rink while Tortorella gives instructions to the players in the background went viral.
“It really was the hardest training of my life! It was hell, I couldn’t take it at the end. All the boys freaked out. At the end I saw black, it was insanely steep! I’m telling you, it doesn’t look good! I will never be able to complain about Patrick’s practices again, that’s for sure,” he laughed.
a good guy
Because in the end he only draws positive things from this experience. The 19-year-old center player was not only allowed to taste Tortorella’s medicine on the ice, but also got to know him off the ice.
“He’s a really good guy. He’s there for the boys. As he said, it’s up to us to be physically ready, but his door is always open. Yes, he’s really tough on the ice, but off the ice he’s a good guy. He has attitude, he’s imposing and he understands the game. I was impressed and would very much like to play for him later. He’s there for the boys and he’s honest.”
According to him, his presence in Philadelphia will only be positive for an organization that has been treading water for several seasons. From his brief stint around the team, Huchette has felt his stamp on his new team.
“His practices are intense and it has to be done his way, but it works. The Flyers, I think it was more relaxed before and now they’re going to be done. He expects a great season even if they are not among the best teams in the league. I think it’s good that he’s cleaning up.”
Motivated
Huchette therefore returned to Quebec strengthened and motivated for the coming season. The Flyers gave him some tips to improve his skating, including some exercises to improve his hip flexibility, and he says he’s ready to contribute to the Remparts.
“It was the best experience of my life. To be able to compete with guys from the NHL, you can see that you’re not that far away. […] We will have a big team in Quebec and my role will be more important. I have self-confidence and I want to bring even more offense. I want to have a great season with the boys.”
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