Huet says Hedican’s NHL ready

Cristobal Huet keeps the Hockeyville Trophy company during his Coach 4 Food autograph session at Memorial Gardens last Friday. Photo by Chris Dawson.

It was only a brief afternoon visit but Cristobal Huet made 100’s of North Bay area residents day with his autograph session on Friday afternoon at Memorial Gardens.

The NHL All-Star came to North Bay to meet and greet kids and coaches who took part in Tom Hedican’s Coach 4 Food initiative which gathered 5,000 pounds of food at Christmas and gathered National attention as part of North Bay’s winning Hockeyville bid.

The French Connection

The Huet and Hedican relationship goes back to the year 2000 when Hedican started working overseas as a goalie coach with Lugano of the Swiss Pro League. That’s where Hedican helped transform a goalie playing pickup caliber hockey into one of Europe’s top professional goalies.

“Cristo came out of France and I was working with him in Lugano and about halfway through his first season I asked him if he ever thought about the NHL and he thought I was crazy,” Hedican recalls.

“He basically came out of this very low level league in France and after two years he ends up being drafted by L.A. It’s a really neat story to see a kid go from almost just better than pickup hockey in France to the NHL inside four years.”

Huet won’t forget what Hedican has done for him which is likely one of the reasons why the two are still such close friends.

“He had a huge impact on my career and that’s why I’m here now, some other people helped me but he was a huge impact that’s one of the reasons why I’m here today,” Huet said prior to his autograph session Friday afternoon.

NHL Ready?

Hedican just finished up a season coaching in Bern of the Swiss Pro League but now is looking for work elsewhere. However Huet believes Hedican should be staying on this side of the pond.

“I think he’s very capable of being an NHL goalie coach I have no doubt about that and I’m sure it’s going to happen sooner than later and the sooner the better I guess,” said Huet.

Currently Hedican says he’s negotiating with another Swiss team and three other pro teams in Germany.

“The NHL is still a possibility,” said Hedican.

“There’s mild interest there but you never want to get too excited about it but it can disappear as quickly as it can appear so I wouldn’t want to say that that’s anything for sure but I’m talking to a couple of teams in Europe and I’ll probably make my decision in the next couple weeks but I’m sure I’ll be going back to Europe.”

Hedican doesn’t take much credit for Huet’s success but the French goalie is still on top of his reference list.

“I have information and skills to pass along to him but if he can’t put them into action it doesn’t matter so I appreciate what he says about me but that’s just the kind of kid he is he gives credit to everyone else but the credit is his,” Hedican said.

Still Hedican won't turn away Huet's praise if an NHL general Manager elects to check his references.

“If they ask me I will be a good reference,” Huet said with a smile.