Remparts: The Touching Relationship Between Patrick Roy and Bob Hartley

Bob Hartley still has the memory of the crowned goaltender who, before practices, came to his office as head coach of the Avalanche to watch certain game sequences with him on VHS tapes. Patrick Roy had just bought the Remparts and was already aiming for a job as head coach, he recalled.

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“He was a goalkeeper, but he would often come to see me after training and say, ‘I love this drill. Why are we doing this?’” Hartley recalled, “He wanted to coach, so he stockpiled information.”

Therefore, the former trainer who won many championships, and all championships combined, was not at all surprised to see his former colt, who contributed to the great titles that Colorado won in 2001, after spending a long career with the Remparts team.

“Hockey, he eats it,” says Hartley.

“He looks like a young coach!”

The two men did not lose sight of each other. Hartley notably attended the third game of the series between the Remparts and the Olympiques, in Gatineau, a few weeks ago.

“I was in a box, practically opposite the Remparts bench,” he says. “I was with one of my buddies and I said to him, ‘Look at Patrick how active he is behind the bench! He looks like a young coach! “

This vision of coach Patrick Roy reminded him of the passionate goalkeeper Patrick Roy who leaves nothing to chance.

“I saw my goaltender who came to see me to watch videos. It’s really impressive, his career. And to present himself like that, at a minor hockey level.

An “invaluable” contribution to the QMJHL

For Hartley, Roy’s involvement with the Remparts far exceeds the hours he spends on the ice with the players.

“I visited the locker room and facilities. The Rimpart family is how he and Jacques Tanguay rebuilt this organization. You’ll see the players’ room, the place where they go to school… Each had his own cabin, his computer, and praises to the one who, in the NHL, also led the Thrashers and the Flames.

“It’s not fair that Patrick is the coach,” he says. He took professionalism in the NHL and moved it to the Remparts.

Hartley also finds Roy’s contribution to the QMJHL “invaluable”.

“One thing with Patrick: When he gets involved in something, there are no limits! It’s going to be 100 miles an hour, it’s going to be well-organised, it’s going to be tactful,” he points out.

“He was part of the Colorado Avalanche, Montreal Canadiens. When it comes to top-tier organizations, you couldn’t ask for more. Patrick grew up in these organizations and I’m sure that background helps him a lot in his coaching journey.