Johnny Curran: ‘the rink was always the place to go to’ despite toughest season

The Canadian is keen to play again after a torn anterior cruciate ligament ended his first season with Fife Flyers even before it got fully underway. His year-long rehab is still on-going, but the forward was able to lace up for the first time last week and join the players at a training session; an important milestone in his journey back to full health.

Sidelined through injury since September 28 last year, Curran isn’t done with playing yet, although his spell behind the bench as interim coach at Flyers may yet open other doors.

“I snuck on the ice and got two practices in with guys which was pretty special,” he said “It was good to know I could get my skates on and get the mindset to get back on the ice and find my hands again, but I need to listen to my surgeon. As far as I am concerned I want to play at the highest level for the next few years, but coaching has opened a few doors and some opportunities.”

Curran’s efforts behind the bench have not got un-noticed. While Flyers managed just five wins – three in regulation time – across a 54-game league season, nursing the players through a punishing schedule and some hefty defeats was no small achievement. He deflected as much pressure from the dressing-room as he could, aware of how close the team had come to folding mid-season in a traumatic December, and how much it affected some players.

The events of that month were defining. The last of the four Kazakh signings quit the dressing-room, Drake Pilon walked, Tom Coolen was axed, and a team - hammered by injuries - was faced with a stark ‘play or fold’ scenario.

Few rookie coaches will experience such a baptism behind the bench. His role as assistant to Coolen was still being defined - he was working on video analysis of games and going over key points with players, bringing a perspective as a line-mate - when the Canadian was axed, and Curran appointed in an interim capacity.

Unable to go on ice after surgery, Curran was helped by Todd Dutiaume, general manager, who returned to the bench and led midweek training sessions.

They had barely settled into their new roles when the club was put up for sale, and the spectre of an uncertain future grew. Coaching became much more than drills and special teams - they had to find a way of getting this team over the line.

Curran admitted it was a rollercoaster, but he stressed: “The rink was always the place to to go to every day even during this. Coaching gave me a chance to stay at the rink and be part of the team and I can’t thank Tom enough for the opportunity. We had ups and downs, and they take their toll - there were some long nights behind the bench - but I fell in love with hockey all over again. The guys bought into it and agreed to get it over the line.” And for Curran, the man at his side was key to getting through this season - and delivering a win on the night Dutiaume’s jersey number was retired was something extra special.

“Todd came in at Christmas. People won’t know what he did, but he kept it afloat,” said Curran. “Without him there wouldn’t be a team. He was an unsung hero.”

And if anything typified the spirit of the club then it was the support of the fans who stuck with the club throughout. An additional 500 were rinkside for the final home game of the season too, underlined the passion for the team and the sport - and they too were rewarded with that overtime win over Manchester Storm.

“They had our backs all year,” he said. “To keep over 1000 fans with the production we had shows what Flyers mean to them .”

With the door to the dressing-room closed, Curran faces a busy summer of work off the ice to build for a hopeful return to playing, and his enthusiasm for the sport remains as strong as ever. After a week or two at home, you start missing the rink no matter what the year was like,” he said. He will hoping for a more conventional season when the puck drops on the 2025-26 campaign.