Athletic therapists: the Canadian makes two good hires

Two weeks ago, Le Canadien announced the dismissal of Graham Rynbend (head sports therapist) and Donald Balmforth (head physiotherapist).

Several factors played into the team’s decision, and let’s just say that the high number of injuries in recent years played a role in the organization’s choice. We’ve been waiting to hear who their replacements will be, and now the Habs have made the announcement in a tweet in the last few minutes.

We’re talking about Jim Ramsay and Maxime Gauthier.

Ramsay has been named Director of Sports Medicine and Performance and Chief Athletic Therapist. Gauthier becomes Chief Physiotherapist:

This is a good move for the CH, and the two main players were already known within the organization.

Ramsay held the role of head athletic therapist for 28 years in New York with the Rangers… Where he had the opportunity to rub shoulders with Jeff Gorton.

And he’s considered one of the best in the game. He was head athletic therapist with Team Canada during their gold medal campaigns in 2002, 2010 and 2014, making him a particularly interesting candidate for the CH.

Last year, the Rangers were among the top teams in terms of the number of games missed due to injury:

We knew the Habs took things seriously, and this is probably the best example of that. Basically, by hiring Jim Ramsey, the Habs are getting the guy who made the Rangers the least-injured team in the NHL last season… And one of the least-injured teams in the last ten years.

We have Jeff Gorton to thank.

Gauthier, for his part, is good friends with Martin St-Louis and Vincent Lecavalier. He has a slightly different background, having recently worked with the Senior PGA Tour, and also held positions with the Ascoli Calciode soccer team in Italy’s Serie B.

Maxime Truman spoke to us a few weeks ago about his forthcoming appointment.

It’s a step in the right direction. Now it’s up to them to find a solution to prevent players from dropping like flies, as they did over the last two seasons.

In gusts

– Really?

– Well said.

– Jeremy Davies stays in Buffalo.

– Yikes. No.

– Go for it!