VOORHEES, N.J. — Guy Gaudreau looked at home, on the ice and tapping his stick as players pushed through a skate.
"He's a coach," John Tortorella said.
A coach who lost his two closest players not even a month ago. His sons Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau were struck and killed by a drunk driver on Aug. 29 in Salem County, New Jersey, while riding their bikes. The tragedy happened the night before their sister Katie was set to be married.
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The Gaudreau family has been a staple in the hockey communities of South Jersey and Philadelphia.
So there was Guy Gaudreau on Monday morning, right at home, helping coach the Flyers at training camp in Voorhees, New Jersey. The 67-year-old joined the team for a couple of practices after Tortorella recently gave him a phone call to see if he was interested.
"He was hesitant at first and we let him go at his timetable," the Flyers' head coach said. "I think it worked out really well today. I gave him my camp book, we're going to check in next week and see if we can get him out here a couple of more times, have him be a part of it.
"I don't want it to be just come out here, I want him to be a part of it. I think it would be therapeutic for him to be around us and run some drills. He has done it before, he's a coach. It was great, it was great to have him here."
Philadelphia Flyers
Johnny Gaudreau was 31 and a seven-time NHL All-Star who played at Gloucester Catholic High School. Matthew Gaudreau was 29, also played at Gloucester Catholic and was the head coach of the high school's team.
Guy Gaudreau coached both of his boys at the school.
"It's pretty close to home here as far as with his family and all and what has gone on there," Tortorella said. "The first time I met him was today. I never met Johnny and Matt, I never met them in my travels as a coach. But their family's here, horrific situation going on and he's a coach, he has done some great work with some of the youth out here. I figured it was perfect just to get him with us."
After Monday's second practice session, the Flyers' players saluted Gaudreau and shook his hand.
"It's so tragic what happened," defenseman Nick Seeler said. "It just breaks your heart. To have Mr. Gaudreau out here and having him around the players, he's a coach himself I believe, just to have him around the guys and that coaching environment, hopefully there's some sort of healing in that. It just breaks your heart. Many prayers to him and his family. ... It would be great to have him around and it was great to meet him."
Tortorella attended the funeral for Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau two weeks ago in Media, Pennsylvania. Meredith, the wife of Johnny, and Madeline, the wife of Matthew, shared beautiful words and showed incredible encourage with their messages at the service.
"I thought the two wives were so strong in how they handled themselves," Tortorella said. "Let's face it, no one can imagine, no one can. It was a really sad day, but the family, how strong it was ... I'm hoping to get to know the family. I think a number of the coaches want to get to know the family, the girls. Matt's family and all.
"It's just horrible that it happened and it's still pretty fresh. It's here, it's with us, down the street. So we just want to be a part of it and try to help."
Tortorella appreciated Guy Gaudreau's help on Monday. Even his question.
"He was giving me s--- that I was yelling at the players to skate harder, he says, 'You only have three lines out here. How much harder can they go?'" Tortorella said with a smile. "So he's paying attention. People came into the coaches' room, a lot of people know him in the organization because of his reputation and being out here and the families. It was good. I hope we can keep doing it with him."