Reports: OHL’s Andre Tourigny draws interest in Coyotes’ coaching search
Jun 29, 2021, 11:27 AM
Head Coach Andre Tourigny of the Ottawa 67's shouts to the referee during the second period of an OHL game against the Niagara IceDogs at the Meridian Centre on November 24, 2017 in St Catharines, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
(Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
The Arizona Coyotes have done extensive vetting of Ottawa 67s (Ontario Hockey League) coach Andre Tourigny as they continue their head-coaching search, according to multiple reports over the past week.
Coyotes Insider reporter Craig Morgan said Tourigny met with the Coyotes face-to-face.
Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic added Tuesday that talks between the two sides have “intensified,” while TSN’s Elliotte Friedman said Monday that Arizona has done a “very deep dive” on Tourigny’s candidacy.
With the 67s, Tourigny captured back-to-back OHL Coach of the Year honors in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons to go along with two division titles.
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He has NHL assistant coaching experience as well. In 2013, Tourigny accepted a job on staff with the Colorado Avalanche. He would eventually resign in 2015 before becoming an assistant coach for the Ottawa Senators. He was fired a year later.
After his NHL stint, Tourigny returned to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in 2016, taking over head coaching duties for the Halifax Mooseheads.
His time with the Mooseheads lasted one season, with Tourigny joining the 67s as the team’s head coach and VP of hockey operations in 2017.
Tourigny was an assistant coach when the Canadian Junior National Ice Hockey Team took home a gold medal at the 2020 IIHF World Under-20 Championship. He was named head coach of the junior team for the 2021 IIHF World Under-20 Championship, helping Canada secure a silver medal.
Tourigny originally got his start in the QMJHL as the head coach and general manager of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies from 2002-13. He was named the QMJHL Coach of the Year in 2005-06. Tourigny was also an assistant on the Canadian junior team in 2010 and 2011.
The Coyotes continue their head-coaching search after the team and former head coach Rick Tocchet agreed to part ways May 9.
Tocchet spent four seasons as Arizona’s head coach, going 125-131-34 with a single playoff appearance in the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season.
