Ex-NHLer teaches PWHL Ottawa players tips in body contact

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The prep work Marc Methot did for his first first cameo appearance as PWHL Ottawa’s “hitting coach” included regularly scheduled visits to the medicine cabinet in his bathroom.

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“For two days, I was pumping Advil every six to eight hours, just to get the swelling down in my knee,” Methot, an NHL defenceman for 624 games over 13 seasons before retiring in 2019, said with a chuckle. “But I didn’t have to demonstrate that much.”

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What the 38-year-old Ottawa native did more of during Wednesday’s practice at TD Place is in line with what he does for a living as a TSN analyst now.

He talked, explaining right from wrong.

“It’s cool to learn from a legend like him,” said defender Emma Buckles. “It was awesome just to pick his brain.”

The idea to have the “legend” put on the blades and offer up his expertise on the art of playing the body at a practice came from goalie coach Pierre Groulx, who knew Methot from their days together with the Senators.

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Nineteen games into the league’s first year, Ottawa has lost three players to season-ending injuries. For the first time in their hockey lives, contact is allowed, but mostly just along the boards, not open-ice hits.

“Everybody’s learning,” said Buckles. “Sometimes you think that certain things are going to get called and they don’t, so yeah, I think the line in the sand is still kind of getting drawn as we speak, and everybody’s trying to figure that out.”

With 11 Ottawa players and two coaches at the world championships, and the season on a pause until April 18, Methot didn’t hesitate in accepting the invitation to help.

“I was so flattered,” he said. “I told them that this morning. I wanted to come out.

“My biggest takeaway was just the attitude. What a difference. All of them were asking questions. The humility, all of that stuff. Everyone was just wanting to learn and get better. Just a good positive vibe here. I’m happy I came out.”

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What he focused on was “teaching contact and absorbing hits, protecting yourself” as well as angling properly and boxing out.

“It’s challenging because you’re talking to pros … I’m not talking to a bunch of kids,” he said “With the girls, they already kind know all this stuff. I think it’s just getting reps in and maybe having somebody come in that’s been there and done it before. They were willing to listen and I was able to deliver some of that information.

“Some of them really responded to how you would knock someone on their back, and where to push up on the chest and how high up for leverage,” he added. “All those little things … leading with your hips sometimes. Don’t expect this to just change overnight going into next game, because you’re not seeing open-ice hits and stuff per se to the same degree as maybe in a full-contact game, but it sounds like they’re trending towards that direction right now, from what I understand. So it was contact focused and they did a great job.”

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Upon some prodding, Methot also showed them the proper technique for a hip check, which was his trademark, but is not allowed in the PWHL.

Of course, neither is fighting, but Buckles was a quick study in both areas.

“If history comes around and I’m in the first PWHL fight, I’ll be ready for it,” joked the 24-year old Toronto product, who before requesting a scrapping tip was delivering a big hip check to an imaginary opponent into the boards. “I was trying. That’s something I haven’t added to my game quite yet. That’s definitely illegal, but if it ever becomes legal, I was picking his brain over that and you know, getting super low. I’ve got to get that hip mobility going a little bit more to be able to effectively get that.”

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Forward Gabby Hughes was asked if Ottawa will soon be known as the most punishing team in the league.

“I would say we’re already kind of on track for that,” she replied. “I think we’re one of the more physical teams in the league that people don’t like to play against. But I think the most important thing for us is just learning how to be safe about it. We don’t want injuries to keep creeping in just because the league is getting a little bit dangerous with some of the hits that we’ve been seeing and been getting.”

Like her teammates, she was thrilled to have Methot as a guest coach.

“He was awesome,” said Hughes. “It was really fun. He reminded me of my older brothers. They would come out with me and coach me all the time when I was younger, and he was just a very genuine guy. He knew what he was talking about and he really wanted us to learn the information. You could tell he liked being out there with us.”

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Said forward Rosalie Demers: “I remember watching him play when I was really little, and just to hear what he has to say … I think he was known in the NHL for being really physical, and just the way he teaches us things, like going into the corner different ways, like lean to be lower on your legs. I think having someone like him coming today will prevent injuries and also help us give better hits so we can separate the player from the puck. It’s been great and I hope he comes back another practice. I love skating, but this is just a different way. Growing up, I never had a hitting coach, if you can say that.”

Methot was “very impressed” with the skill of the players. The pace they play with, the passing, the weight on their shots.

He wants to come back to another practice, but with two kids — six-year-old son Jack and four-year old daughter Ivy — he’s not looking for a full-time coaching gig in any league.

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“My daughter just started skating … she’s going to get into hockey,” he said. “So I’m going to nurture that and I’m going to push it and see how she does. These women are such a great inspiration for all those girls that are watching. Now they have a pro league they can look up to. My daughter doesn’t have to watch the NHL games, she can watch the PWHL. It’s just a different brand, but it’s exciting hockey.

“My goal is to get (Ivy) to play in this league,” he added. “I’m going to do everything I can to make that happen, and if it doesn’t, at least I don’t have to hear about it in her teens. I don’t have to hear her tell me, ‘Why didn’t you push me Dad? You played.’ My philosophy is simple with my kids. I’m going to give them every opportunity to do it, and if they want to do it, they can. Otherwise I did my job.”

dbrennan@postmedia.com

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