Hockey coaches often talk about limiting distractions. Gerry Fleming, head coach of the Edmonton Oilers’ farm team in the American Hockey League, will be trying to block out a big one when he coaches the Edmonton Oilers at the Young Stars Classic in Penticton, B.C. this weekend.
The Bakersfield Condors coach owns two condos near Naples, Fla., right in the path of Hurricane Irma.
“You make sure your family and friends are safe and hope for the best,” Fleming said on Saturday morning. “I have a lot of friends there. My family has all gotten out of town.”
READ MORE: ‘The storm’s here,’ Florida governor says Hurricane Irma assault on state has begun
Fleming has lived there since 2000 and is no stranger to wicked storms.
“Went through two of them in 2004,” he recalled. “We were fortunate the winds were coming out of the south. If the winds come out of the east or west, it’s a different story.
“We got the good fortune of having a company who insured us. We just sit back and wait now.”
Watch below: Some videos from Global News’ ongoing coverage of Hurricane Irma: