(Laval) Travel trains youth, says an old saying. Perhaps they also help a young person to gain maturity. When we listen to it, this is what we can learn from the experience that Quebecer Miguel Tourigny had in 2022-23.

The day after a first outing in preparatory matches during which he contributed to a 3-1 victory for the Laval Rocket against the Toronto Marlies with two assists, the defender from Victoriaville recounts today today that his decision to emigrate to Slovakia, a year ago, served him well. In terms of hockey, but also in everyday life.

“I think that playing with men, right away, helped me,” Tourigny said in the Rocket locker room Friday noon.

“I think it was a good decision to go there because I gained maturity off the ice but also on the ice. I think this year that’s what’s helping me a lot,” he added.

When asked to recount his experience in Slovakia, Tourigny admitted that the first weeks had not been easy.

“I carried around with “Google translate” everywhere I went,” he illustrated. It was still difficult. »

After a stay in a hotel and meals that often consisted of simple pre-prepared sandwiches, Tourigny was able to find accommodation. He had the help of his mother and the visit of his girlfriend for about three months. These presences facilitated the transition, he implies.

When Tourigny chose to fly to Slovakia, he had just been removed from the Rocket camp. He could have avoided such a change of scenery by returning to the Quebec Major Junior League.

Tourigny used two words to sum up his training camp within the Habs organization last year: “truly excruciating.” But so far this year, Rocket head coach Jean-François Houle has seen a player who has improved in many ways.

“He is much stronger physically, he wins a lot more battles in the defensive zone, he makes better decisions with the puck, he is not everywhere,” analyzed Houle.

“It’s good that he rates himself like that. He rated himself well because last year his camp was average. This year he has a better camp. I think he realized that he can’t go on the attack all the time. He’s a defender, he has to defend. So far, we are happy with his camp. »