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Tourigny Has Been in Warsofsky’s Shoes: How Did Utah Coach Handle Long Winless Start to His Career?

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Credit: NHL

SALT LAKE CITY — Andre Tourigny has been in Ryan Warsofsky’s shoes.



In 2021-22, Tourigny took over a rebuilding Arizona Coyotes squad…and lost his first 11 games.

“It felt like way longer than that,” Tourigny laughed, speaking exclusively with San Jose Hockey Now on Monday.

That 0-10-1 start is the worst start to a coaching career in NHL history.

This past off-season, Warsofsky took over a rebuilding San Jose Sharks squad, and has dropped his first nine games.

“He knew where the team [was] in their process when he got the job, as much as I knew. Just part of the process,” Tourigny said.

So does Tourigny have any advice for the San Jose Sharks’ 0-7-2 bench boss?

Tourigny is still part of now-Utah Hockey Club’s rebuild and is actually the fifth-longest tenured head coach in the league right now.

“For us, what was the big key is we stay with the process of how we play and how we got better every day as a team and how we kept the energy up and the morale of the troops,” Tourigny shared. “If you focus on the record and what’s happening, I think it’s unfair. He needs to focus on how his team plays and how’s the progression?”

How did Tourigny keep his head up during this rough introduction to the NHL?

“For me, I was seeing our team progressing. I was, for sure, [feeling] a lot of frustration, because you want the results, but I did like the way we were progressing and where we were going,” he said. “Good things will happen, eventually.”

Tourigny believes that the San Jose Sharks will turn the corner this year.

“I think they do a good job. I watched a few of their games. I think they’re playing hard,” he said. “They will win games. They’re proud athletes, they’re NHL players, and he’s a good coach.”

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