Patrick Couture
February, 1999
by: William Overin
French Canadian Wonder
Patrick Couture was another great acquistion by the Gulls after the season started. Last season he was a top goaltender in the Juniors where he accumulated a record of 23 - 3 - 4. Even more impressive were his goals against average and save percentages - an oustanding 1.85 and .934 respectively. Althought Patrick has seen limited playing time since Naumov returned from Long Beach this season, he has put up some respectable numbers with a record of 11 - 3 - 1. His goals against average is a solid 3.43 and save percentage is .886. He played so well at the end of December that he earned WCHL Goalkeeper of the Week honors.
William Overin: What made you want to start playing hockey?
Patrick Couture: When I was really young, I would watch the Quebec Nordiques on TV, and knew I would like to play hockey. Everyone in Quebec played hockey - it's the major sport over there. When I knew that I wanted to play hockey, I asked my father if I could play. He began taking me to the rink, and I started playing.
WO: Did your father play at all?
PC: My father played when he was young, like most other kids in Quebec. He stopped when he started working, so I'm not sure if he was a good player or not.
WO: Did anyone influence your decision on becoming a goalie?
PC: I think that my grandfather influenced me. A long time ago he played for the army in Canada - He was really good, and I have some pictures of him when he played goalie.
WO: Who were your favorite goalies when you were growing up?
PC: I first started watching the Quebec Nordiques when I was a kid,and I liked Daniel Bouchard. After that I think it became Patrick Roy. I started watching him when he played for the Montreal Canadians. He had the butterfly style - that's what the goalie coaches in Quebec would teach us.
WO: Is he still your favorite - Patrick Roy?
PC: Yeah - he's still my favorite because he has a good style and a good technique. I'd like to be like him. I've learned that style, so for me he is a model.
WO: What happened in the pre-season where you were in St. Louis' camp and ended up ultimately here in San Diego?
PC: Last year I played in Quebec in the Junior Majors (for the Quebec Ramparts) and a lot of the scouts saw me over there. The St. Louis' Blues manager saw me, and he gave me a tryout for this year. When I got there I played pretty well and stayed there for two weeks. I got to play in a couple of exhibition games - like against Chicago.
After the game against Chicago, a guy from the Wolves of the IHL came to see me and told me "Pat if you don't have a contract with them or end up going to the AHL, we'd appreciate if you'd come to play for us. We'll have a place for you."
After this, I talked to the coach from St. Louis and the manager. They told me that they had six goalies before me - they didn't really have a place for me, so I preferred to try to make the Wolves in the IHL. I made it through the training camp for the Wolves, and started the season down there and played several games with them. After that, Pat Jablonski and Wendell Young were sent down from their teams in the NHL. Young has played eight years in the NHL, and Jabolonski has played ten years. So then the Wolves didn't have any place for me. They told me they'd try to find me a place in either the East Coast or West Coast Leagues. After one or two days, Steve Martinson called me and told me that he had a place for me here in San Diego with the Gulls - so that's why I'm here.
WO: What have you thought of San Diego since you've been here?
PC: It's an awesome place to play hockey - it's really great. It has great fans and has a great organization. I think everything here is great. The weather is better than Quebec. I think we have really good team spirit and everyone has been friendly - it's great to be here this year.
WO: Do you plan on coming back next year?
PC: I can't tell you for sure. With hockey the summer time between seasons is very long and a lot of things can happen. I'm gonna try. I can't tell you if I'm going to be back or not. Because the only thing that's bad for me is that I'm the back-up goalie, and I don't get enough practice.
Sergei is the big star here in Goal. He is older than me and has played more in the IHL - he has more experience. I would like to be a starter. I don't want to be a back-up all of my career. I can't tell you if I'll be back or not. If I don't have a contract in the AHL or IHL, I might be back. I have to talk to guys like Steve and my agent. I would like to be here next year just because it is such a great place to play.
WO: Can you tell me if any teams have been talking to your agent?
PC: I can't tell you what teams, but we've been talking with a lot of IHL teams and a few AHL teams. We'll see this summer what will happen. With three new teams for the NHL in the next two years, this means they're going to need more goalies. This means more places for goalies in the AHL and IHL.
We'll see because last year after the season someone told me that I was going to have a contract in the AHL or IHL because I had a better season than any other goalie in the Junior Majors. Now I'm in the West Coast Hockey League, and I don't have a contract with any team in the AHL or IHL. A lot of things could happen, but we'll have to wait and see what happens.
WO: Who do you think are the best goalies in the WCHL?
PC: Oh I think Sergei is one of the best goalies. They have a lot of good goalies in this league - Beaubien from Idaho, Steve Vezina is really good, and a guy like Goverde who has played a couple of games in the NHL is really good. But I still think Sergei is one of the best.
WO: What other things do you like to do besides play hockey?
PC: During the summer, I like to swim. I love the water and try to swim as often as I can.
WO: Did you swim a lot when you were a kid?
PC: My father was a teacher, and I still love to do that. I think this is one of my favorite hobbies.
WO: What other sports did you like when you were growing up?
PC: When I was younger, I liked to play baseball. I played for eight years, but I thought I'd have a better chance at playing hockey - so I decided to play hockey. I was thirteen or fourteen years old then.
In Quebec, you have more time to play hockey than baseball. You can only play baseball two months out of the year. It's not as popular in Quebec.
WO: What's your favorite place to go in San Diego?
PC: I think it's going to the beach. I like to go walk down there and watch the sea. For me, that's so impressive because I had never seen that in my life before I came here. I love that.
WO: Do you have a favorite restaurant - besides maybe Jack in the Box?
PC: (laughs) Jack in the Box is good after a game. I think Embers Grille. I've been there a couple of times and really like it.
WO: Do you have a favorite style of music?
PC: I love all popular music. I listen to a lot of radio.
WO: What about a favorite group?
PC: Not really, I think my favorite group is French - so you don't know them.
WO: Besides hockey players, what people do you admire the most?
PC: My parents - they've helped me all of my career. They've followed me everywhere - they've given me rent money for all of the places I've gone. They are the people I love the most. I think also my girlfriend - it's the people that I love.
WO: What was the most difficult part for you to adjust to San Diego?
PC: The English - When I came here, I knew a little bit, but I couldn't speak very well. This was the most difficult for me. It's good I've had to learn because I am going to use it for the rest of my life.
WO: I'm sure the guys that speak French on the team have been a real help.
PC: Oh yeah they've helped me to learn my English. It's been hard sometimes to make friends with people here because they can't understand me, and I can't understand them. Now I'm happy I've been learning the language.
WO: Do you have any predictions for the team?
PS: I think we'll take the Taylor Cup. We have a team for it. I'm going to be disappointed if we don't win this year because I think we have the best team. We have a great team spirit. All the things are there for us to win the cup. The guys all won the last few years, and I would like to have a ring too. I would like to win in San Diego. I think we'll win because we have everything to win.
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