The Flyers welcomed a special guest to training camp at the team's facility in Voorhees, New Jersey, on Monday.
Guy Gaudreau, father of the late Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, was invited by coach John Tortorella and the Flyers organization to help run practices during training camp.
Like many in the hockey world, Tortorella was saddened by the tragic deaths of the Gaudreau brothers, who were hit by a car while riding their bicycles in New Jersey last month.
Tortorella told reporters after the skate that he has never met Guy, Johnny or Matthew Gaudreau but wanted to do something for their families after the tragedy.
“I've never met Johnny and Matt in all my coaching travels,” Tortorella said. According to the Associated Press“But their families are here. There's a horrible situation going on. He's a coach. He's done a great job with the young guys here. We thought it would be perfect to have him on our team.”
The Flyers coach attended his brother's funeral in Pennsylvania last month and said both wives were “very strong” in handling the loss.
“Nobody can imagine that. Nobody can,” he said. “I want to know the family. I think some of the coaching staff want to know the family, the girls, Matt's family. It's awful what happened. It's still fresh in our minds. It's here. It's within us. It's across the street. We just want to be a part of it and help.”
Flyers players shook hands and banged sticks after practice Monday to show their appreciation for Guy Gaudreau being there Monday.
Tortorella joked that he was getting his manager in trouble for being too hard on his players.
“He was hesitant at first, but we let his schedule take care of it,” Tortorella said. “I thought it went very well today. I gave him my camp notes, and I'll check back next week to see if we can get him out here a few more times and get him involved. I don't want to say, 'Just come here.' I want him to participate. I think it will be therapeutic for him to be with us and do some drills.”
