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Ex-Canadiens coach Dominique Ducharme back in the NHL with new team

Rob Williams
Rob Williams
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Jul 12 2023, 11:34 pm
Ex-Canadiens coach Dominique Ducharme back in the NHL with new team
Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports

Former Montreal Canadiens head coach Dominique Ducharme is back in the NHL.

The 50-year-old bench boss has accepted an assistant coaching role with the Vegas Golden Knights, joining the Stanley Cup champions along with Joel Ward.

“We are extremely pleased with the additions of Dominique and Joel to our coaching staff here in Vegas,” said Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon. “Dominique brings a wealth of coaching experience into our organization and has proven to be a successful leader at multiple levels.”

Ducharme had an up-and-down stint as head coach of the Canadiens.

While the Joliette, Quebec native led the Habs to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021, he never completed a full season as head coach, and never posted a winning record.

Montreal went 15-16-7 under Ducharme in 2021, but caught fire in the playoffs, eventually losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Final. The team fell apart the following season, with the Canadiens firing Ducharme after just 45 games due to a woeful 8-30-7 record. He was replaced by Martin St. Louis.

Ducharme was a wildly-successful head coach in junior, winning a Memorial Cup with Halifax in 2013. He was also named head coach of Canada’s World Junior team twice, winning gold in 2018 and silver in 2017.

The Montreal Canadiens came calling in 2018, adding Ducharme to Claude Julien’s staff. Ducharme would go on to replace Julien behind the bench during his third season in Montreal.

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