If Patrick Roy wasn’t interested in being the next coach of the Ottawa Senators, he would have turned down the invitation to an interview next week.
That’s the opinion of Roy’s former Colorado Avalanche teammates Curtis Leschyshyn and he believes the legendary goalie has shown in the past he has what it takes to be a successful NHL coach, especially because of his experience with young players.
“Probably one of the most competitive guys I’ve played with whether it was in practice or games,” said Leschyshyn, a former Ottawa defenceman, from his Saskatoon home Saturday. “He hated to lose and everything was about being the best. That’s what he would bring to a hockey club.
“He wants to win, he wants to be the best and he wants his team to be the best. I think that translates into success somewhere down the line … I didn’t get to play for him but I knew every day at practice he was going to try to be the best on the ice and it sort of filtered through the locker room.”
Leschyshyn, who won a Cup with Roy in 1996, said he always felt that Roy was a strong evaluator of talent and while he’s emotional he also has a solid game plan.
“I’m not surprised he wanted to be a coach,” Leschyshyn said. “His success in junior hockey has translated already into the NHL and will probably in the future do the same thing. He’s been successful. He’s won at the major junior level and in the NHL.
“Sometimes guys get thrust into positions because of their past as player but he’s certainly been able to work at the major junior level, be successful and develop players and make sure that those players were ready for the next level. There’s something more than just being one of the greatest goalies to ever play the game.
“He’s got a package that he can translate into being good coach as well.”
Leschyshyn noted Roy made an impact on the game during his three years with Avs.
“He’s innovative,” Leshyschyn said. “I think he was one of the first coaches you saw that would pull their goalie with four minutes left in the game to try to win. It wasn’t because he was thinking it was a gimmick, he wants to win, so he was trying to figure out any way to do it.”
Twitter: @sungarrioch
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