Perhaps there was no better tribute, more faithful to his father’s personality. Jan Cadieux was on the bench of Genève-Servette this Tuesday in Lausanne, for the start of the National League season. Because Paul-André, who died Monday at the age of 77, was like that: demanding of himself like no other. A legendary coach. Who marked his time, and the Swiss ice hockey with it. Few are probably his former players who were not upset by the news.
But Slava Bykov is probably one of those who can give the most value to the former technician, who had welcomed them – Andreï Khomutov – and him when they arrived in Fribourg-Gottéron in 1990. “Paul-André also had to make certain sacrifices to integrate when he arrived from Canada (ed.: in 1970), describes Bykov. He had understood well that as foreigners who did not speak the language, it was necessary to give us something more, to explain the traditions to us, to try to understand what soul we had. He was very intelligent.”
Together, Bykov and Cadieux left their mark on Fribourg. In particular, these three consecutive play-off finals, between 1992 and 1994. “My entire career at Gottéron is linked to him,” says the former center, now 64 years old. “He was an excellent motivator, who never accepted failure, who wanted to go beyond the players’ abilities. His attitude struck me so much.”
Andrei’s father knew Jan’s father was ill, after his two leg amputations. And yet. “It’s hard to take for us, as athletes. In recent years, I loved listening to him on Radio Fribourg, he knew how to explain things precisely, it was in his blood. I think very much about his family.” Two Swiss hockey dynasties talk to each other. And they understand each other, of course.
