A warm summer breeze from Lake Ontario flowed through the open windows of the rental car, and it seemed to fuel the two coaches riding inside. They were, of course, travelling to a hockey rink. One of the passengers was gearing up to speak at a popular summer coaching conference, so it would have made sense if the ride was silent to provide room for the required preparation and focus.

This wasn't the case.

"Listen, here's why you never trust a defenceman," the passenger said, which is ironic because an hour later he'd be repeating much of the same message to a gathered audience.

That was Paul Boutillier, who passed away in May 2026. He could teach you more about hockey in a 30-minute car ride than you ever thought possible. And he could do it in a way that would make you fall in love with a game you didn't think you could love any more.

Here was the presentation he was about to deliver, his first with The Coaches Site.

Guiding Young Players to Think & Play Fast

Paul was a dear friend of Aaron Wilbur and the growing staff at The Coaches Site, and that's one of the things that made him special: he was approachable, human, and friendly, despite the fact his name is on the Stanley Cup. Actually, that's probably why his name is on the Stanley Cup - Paul was a teammate everyone wanted to be around. His career in the NHL spanned parts of nine seasons, playing for the Boston Bruins, Minnesota North Stars, New York Rangers, Winnipeg Jets, and, of course, the New York Islanders, with whom he won the Cup in 1983.

To say he was passionate about hockey, coaching, and the position of defenceman is a drastic understatement.

TCS Vault: Paul Boutilier & the Optimal Defence Development Plan

On that summer afternoon in Toronto, he was just a coach: humble and friendly, despite being known all over the world for his approach to coaching young defencemen.

Here's his presentation at the 2023 International Ice Hockey Federation Coaching Symposium, which is unfortunately cut short at only an hour and three minutes! Not enough time, of course, but let's watch anyways.

IIHF 2023: In-Season Defence Development Plan

If you were ever fortunate enough to borrow some of Paul's time, you'd walk away from the conversation smarter, richer, and more enthusiastic, regardless of the topic. Paul's only issue was that he possessed so much knowledge that it was a challenge to channel it all. You can imagine the requests for his time, not only from us, but from his players, current and former, coaching colleagues, and admirers throughout the hockey world and beyond.

That's why we always felt proud when he could drop by to chat.

Here's the last conversation we'll have with Paul on the Glass & Out Podcast. To have Paul's voice forever preserved in this discussion is an honour beyond measure.

Glass & Out: Improving the Fundamental Skills of a Defenceman

Thank you for everything, Paul.