The Montreal Canadiens made a big bench move on Tuesday.
Following Jean-Francois Houle’s departure from his position as head coach of the Laval Rocket, Montreal’s AHL affiliate, the Canadiens have announced the hiring of Pascal Vincent.
The Laval Rocket hire Pascal Vincent as their new head coach.
News release ↓ #GoRockethttps://t.co/NJcTOfrWrY
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) July 16, 2024
Named the QMJHL’s Coach of the Year for the 2007-08 season and the AHL’s most outstanding coach in 2017-18, Vincent, a Laval native, was appointed head coach of the Columbus Blue Jacket ahead of the 2023-24 season after two years in an assistant role.
However, Vincent’s tenure with the team was short-lived, as he was fired at the end of the year with Columbus finishing last in the Metropolitan Division.
“The Montreal Canadiens organization is proud to welcome Pascal Vincent as the new head coach of the Laval Rocket. With nearly 30 years of coaching experience at the QMJHL, AHL and NHL levels, Pascal brings a wealth of knowledge, a passion for the game and a proven track record of both winning and player development,” said Rocket GM John Sedgwick in a press release.
“His strong values, collaborative mindset and tireless work ethic make him a great fit for our organization and the ideal person to work with our talented group of young players. We are thrilled to be able to add a coach of his calibre and excited for what lies ahead.”
The Rocket opens its season on October 11 with a road game against the Providence Bruins. The Canadiens get their campaign going two days earlier at home against the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 9.
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