The Montreal Canadiens may be on the hunt for a new assistant coach following Alexandre Burrows’ recent departure from the position.
With Trevor Letowski and Stephane Robidas already in similar positions on Montreal’s bench, it’s unclear if GM Kent Hughes will replace Burrows.
But since the 43-year-old was retained from former GM Marc Bergevin’s era, Hughes now has the opportunity to make a significant addition to support Martin St. Louis.
If Hughes is considering external candidates, here are four experienced coaches who could bring valuable expertise to the Canadiens’ bench:
Pascal Vincent
Named the QMJHL’s Coach of the Year for the 2007-08 season and the AHL’s most outstanding coach in 2017-18, Pascal Vincent was appointed head coach of the Columbus Blue Jacket ahead of the 2023-24 season after two years in an assistant role.
The Laval native’s tenure was short-lived, though as Vincent was fired at the end of the year with Columbus finishing last in the Metropolitan Division.
If he’s willing to accept a slight demotion, the 52-year-old could bring some much-needed expertise to the Canadiens’ bench.
Gerard Gallant
Known for his head coaching tenures with the Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers and Columbus Blue Jackets, Gerard Gallant could provide seasoned leadership and strategic insight to Montreal’s young roster.
The 60-year-old is also a proven winner with a 369-262-70 over 11 seasons behind an NHL bench.
Guy Boucher
Back in June, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced that Guy Boucher would not be returning to his post as assistant coach.
The 52-year-old’s coaching resume includes leading the Drummondville Voltigeurs (2006-2009), the Hamilton Bulldogs (2009-2010), and the Tampa Bay Lightning (2010-2013). He also coached in Switzerland before returning to the NHL with the Ottawa Senators in 2016.
Boucher has the potential to help out Montreal’s special teams, specifically their struggling power play. Under him, Toronto’s power play finished seventh in the NHL this past season with a 24% success rate.
Bruce Boudreau
A bit of a wild card on our list, Bruce Boudreau is not a name Montreal management should gloss over if they’re looking to replace Burrows.
Coaching the Vancouver Canucks for the better part of two seasons, Boudreau finished his most recent NHL tenure with a 50-40-13 record but was fired after a tough start to the 2022-23 NHL season.
To say he is experienced is an understatement. With over 600 NHL head coaching wins, the 69-year-old, who works as an analyst for NHL Network, is one of only 22 coaches to reach this impressive milestone.
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