Conflicts between brothers are not uncommon in the National Hockey League (NHL), but encounters with the team captained by your own father are significantly rarer. Rod and Skyler Brind’Amour will experience a dream on Wednesday night.
Rod Brind’Amour begins his sixth season as head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes. His oldest son did not yet play professionally and spent the last four years at Quinnipac University.
• Also read: Kristopher Letang appreciates the Penguins’ depth
• Also read: Patrick Kane won’t be able to handle a team anytime soon
• Also read: Flames: Chris Snow suffers from ALS and is in his final moments
The 24-year-old center player has the opportunity to showcase himself within the Florida Panthers organization, which will face the Canes in a preseason game on Wednesday evening.
“I think it will be a bit strange at first, but honestly I won’t pay too much attention to it. I have to play, let him do his things and do mine,” Skyler said of his famous father at a pregame press conference.
The sixth-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 2017 learned alongside his father but rarely found himself on the opposing sideline, let alone in the NHL.
“He was training me, so I saw him behind the bench and he was already giving me a few deadly looks. I hope he doesn’t throw anything at me tonight [mercredi]” Skyler said with a smile.
“The opportunity of a lifetime”
Son Brind’Amour signed a two-year contract with the Charlotte Checkers, the Panthers’ farm club, in April. The father is proud and sees this training camp as “the opportunity of a lifetime” for Skyler.
“He worked very hard for years and I saw it. I think it will be very special,” said the Hurricanes instructor.
In addition, the big cats’ current trainer, Paul Maurice, has now looked after both Brind’Amours. He managed the Hurricanes from 1997 to 2004 and coached Rod for just over four years.
“Rod Brind’Amour was one of the best professionals I have ever coached – his consistency was elite – and in my opinion he is perhaps the best coach in the league, or at least close to it,” Maurice said at a news conference. before moving on to Skyler.
“Being the son of a coach is not necessarily the best position in the world. I don’t know how their dynamic works; You probably hear about every mistake you made on the ice,” he continued.
Maurice also encouraged Skyler to make mistakes and take risks on Wednesday night. Will the youngster manage to gain a foothold in his father’s team?