Behind the bench in Baie-Comeau; a natural fit for Bosch

Patrice Bosch is no stranger to Baie-Comeau. His first stop behind the bench there, as an assistant 13 years ago, introduced him to coaching at the major junior level. A decade later, following stops throughout Quebec and Europe, another opportunity with the Drakkar presented itself. Bosch knew what he had to do.

“Of course, I was familiar with the area but I can’t explain it any better than I just had a good feeling about it,” Bosch recalls of his return to Assistant Coaching duties in Baie-Comeau in 2023. “Then, when I was offered the Head Coaching position, I was happy to take it.”

By making it back to the Cote-Nord region three years ago, it also meant he got to go on another long playoff run in Baie-Comeau. “I’m one of those poor guys who’s lost in the Final twice,” Bosch points out with a chuckle, referring to the Drakkar’s near misses in 2013 and 2024. But it’s also a motivating factor in this, his first season as the club’s Head Coach.

“I don’t know how long it’s going to take, but we’re going to take the time to make sure it happens,” Bosch says of his rebuilding group.

The Drakkar bottomed out last season, finishing in last place after a few successful campaigns – including that 2024 Final appearance – during its most recent building cycle. The off-season saw long time bench boss Jean-Francois Gregoire step down to focus on his duties as team General Manager. Bosch was the natural choice to take over.

“There’s so much to do (as a GM),” Bosch explains when asked about the logistics behind the change. “JF was pretty busy the last few years but even though he’s not the coach, the mentality of the Drakkar remains the same. We are still working in the same direction and believe in the same things. Only the voice will be different.”

It’s a voice that hasn’t led junior aged players for some time. Although Bosch has been an Assistant Coach in Baie-Comeau the past three seasons and has experienced success in the Quebec Jr.A ranks, where he was named QJHL Coach of the Year with the 2017-18 Granby Inouk, this marks the first time he has held the reins of a ‘Q’ club since his time with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens ended in 2015. Has much changed in his approach from that time to this?

“I worked with pros in Lugano and Geneva and it did change me a little bit as a coach,” Bosch says, referencing his four seasons behind the bench in Switzerland. “I used to be a lot more emotional. I’m trying to be in more of a discussion mode with the kids these days. The approach needs to be different. I feel my approach is different.”

“I’ve got two boys that are 21 and 22 so I like to think I can adapt to this generation of kids,” Bosch goes on to say. “Things are a lot different than 20 years ago. You have to tell the players what to do, but also why they have to do it. What is the result if we do it? What happens if we don’t? You have to get them to buy in.”

Any buy in accomplished now will likely continue to grow for a few years to come. This is a young Drakkar team, one that has experienced substantial turnover as the process of building another winner remains in its first steps. Still, identities are typically forged at this early stage. In the past, winning Drakkar teams have been punctuated by heavy hockey, using size, skill and an unmistakable home ice advantage to force their will upon opponents. What does Bosch feel will be the Drakkar’s calling card, both this year and in the years to come?

“I think we’re going to be a fast team,” he considers. “But I see fast in three ways. Quick feet, and quick hands but also, quick thinking. We need to be fast in our heads. That said, we need to be more structured in our game. We’re still a young team and we still need to teach a lot of stuff but our game is pretty fast so far. We’ve got to keep it that way.”

If they can find a way to be fast in their own heads, while getting in the heads of their opponents, there is little doubt Bosch’s Drakkar will remain on the minds of their fans for a very long time.