Canadiens Confirm Michel Therrien is New Coach

As reported during the night, the Montreal Canadiens confirmed that Michel Therrien is the club's new Head Coach.  Official announcement: http://canadiens.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=633838

There will be a press conference at 2:30 PM today.  We'll be Tweeting live quotes, and then have the highlights up here.

I've spent considerable time discussing the negatives of a possible Therrien hiring, so here are some positives.  He's a good tactician who adapts his strategies in-game, playing whoever has been impressing on a given night by going with gut feelings.  In stark contrast to Jacques Martin, he is quite emotional, and displays his feelings behind the bench.  So while it is a first Marc Bergevin move that leaves me feeling uneasy, let's give it a chance.  And hope for top notch candidates as his Assistant Coaches.  Early discussion has Guy Carbonneau and Martin Lapointe has leading candidates to assist Therrien behind the bench, but I hope at least one person hired will come in with a longer history and established specialties.

UPDATES:

Some takes on Therrien's hiring:

Former Montreal Canadien Terry Ryan:
"Nice [expletive] pick Habs. Who's going to be the Assistant Coach, Darth Vader?  He was ignorant then, and how do you know he has evolved now?  He would chain smoke on the team bus.  I hated playing for him more than any other coach.  I would fly home to my family at year's end crying; they had me go see a psychologiest.  But he knows hockey very well.  I hope for the sake of the Montreal Canadiens - and the New York Yankees are baseball's Montreal Canadiens - that he has learnt something."

Canadiens captain Brian Gionta:
"Therrien has an excellent reputation in the league.  I've played against his teams on numerous occasions and they're always tough to play against.  He's proven in the past, notably with Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate, that he is good at developing young players, and that looks good for our group."

Former Habs GM Andre Savard, who was one of Therrien's Assistant Coaches with the Penguins:
"Michel deserved to be back, to have another chance.  His background is as impressive or more than many coaches around the league.  I didn't hire Michel in Montreal; I was named by the President after his hiring, and I haven't spoken with him in a little while.  But if he were to call me about a possible position, I'd be happy to listen."

Pascal Dupuis, who played for Therrien with the Penguins:
"He gets the most out of his players.  Everyone describes him as a tough guy, but if you give him your best, he's ok."

KEY POINTS FROM PRESS CONFERENCE:

General Manager Marc Bergevin says he interviewed "a lot of candidates" for the coaching position, later specifying "less than 10."  He chose Therrien - a decision that he ultimately made himself - because he has leadership, has enjoyed success at all levels, and sees himself communicating/working well with him.

Therrien himself repeated a few phrases frequently, citing that what he would most importantly look to change is the work ethic of the team.  He said it's important for fans to be able to applaud a team that is outworking its opposition every game; a team that is disciplined on and off the ice.  As a coach, he said it's important for him to be adaptable and flexible, saying he's learnt from his experiences in Montreal, Pittsburgh, and the AHL, and feels far more prepared to take this job today than when he first accepted it some 12 years ago.  Acknowledging that he didn't like the results last season, he sees potential on this team, and has as a short-term goal getting back into the playoffs.

Therrien says its important the leadership core on this team leads by example. His first call will be to captain Brian Gionta, who he understands had a frustrating season with injuries.  He likes the first line in place, the responsibility of a Tomas Plekanec, having a great young goaltender in Carey Price, and that the team will have a healthy Andrei Markov (the only player still around from Therrien's last tenure) out of the gate.  He looks forward to an exciting challenge of coaching a young P.K. Subban who he sees as full of potential (calling him a thoroughbred, the kind of guys you win with), and with good guidance, a future leader.  Lastly, in an interview after the press conference, he also named Lars Eller as a player headed in the right direction, a good sign since some were worried about his critical comments towards Eller as an analyst.

With regards to his Assistants, Therrien said he admired the work done by the guys in place (Randy Cunneyworth, Randy Ladouceur, and Pierre Groulx), but that it was only his first day and he hadn't gotten to that point yet.  He discussed a "profile" with Bergevin, and it's something they would work on in the coming days and weeks.  No names.

Perhaps most importantly was a quote by Therrien where he said that not all players need to be treated the same.  "Some need taps on the back all the time, some just once.  Some need to be taken a harder stance with."  This was another area of major concern with how he would handle his players, so at the very least, he's saying the right things for now.

Like him or not Habs fans, he's Bergevin's choice. Let's give him a chance - at least half a season before we really criticize - and hope for the best!

A Tale of Two Coaches

As much as I've tried not to believe the rumours, it is at this point hard to believe that Montreal isn't down to at most two candidates in their head coaching search in Michel Therrien and Marc Crawford.  Many fans have been hoping there would be some third off-the-radar candidate who would come in and steal the job away, but all three major hockey networks - TSN, RDS, and SportsNet - have been reporting the same facts for a few days now.  And the problem is that even if these weren't the only two names in the pot, with Bob Hartley in Calgary and Patrick Roy's demands allegedly being far too great, given the team's self-imposed "must speak French" rule, there aren't many other qualified candidates out there.  I've said before and maintain that I have faith in Marc Bergevin right now and will be happy to give a chance to whoever he deems the best man to execute his vision for the Montreal Canadiens, but on the day he opts for one of Therrien or Crawford, I will not be a happy sheep applauding his selection.  Here's a look at the two candidates to give you an idea of why:

Michel Therrien

Many Habs fans are quick to spit out, "been there, done that," when Therrien's name comes up.  I find that a bit of a naive approach to his candidacy; just because a guy held the job a decade ago, doesn't mean he wouldn't have learned from mistakes or be a better fit today.  The qualifications of candidates should be based on what Bergevin thinks they can do today.

At age 48, Therrien still has plenty of years in the sport left ahead of him, which is a positive for a team seeking stability.  In his playing career, he never made it beyond the AHL, though he did spend a couple of seasons in the Habs' system with the Nova Scotia Voyageurs and Sherbrooke Canadiens.  His full-time head coaching career began in 1993-94 with the QMJHL's Laval Titan, and he led the Granby Predateurs to a league championship after taking over the club in 1995-96.  Returning to the Canadiens' organization, he spent four seasons as the Head Coach of the team's AHL affiliate (two in Fredericton and two in Quebec) before replacing Alain Vigneault as Coach of the Habs some 20 games into the 2000-01 campaign.  That team would fail to qualify for the post-season, but he would lead Montreal back to the playoffs the following year, and upset the top seed Boston Bruins in the first round in six games (which included a fine to Therrien for making a throat-slitting gesture at Kyle McLaren after he nearly took Richard Zednik's head off with a dirty below, though Hab fans will forgive him for that one).  

What likely sealed his fate were clear coaching errors in the second round.  Montreal looked poised to complete a second straight upset, up 2-1 in the series against the Carolina Hurricanes and leading game 4 by a 3-0 score in the third period.  Perhaps Therrien momentarily forgot where he was, but he was a bit too vocal with referee Kerry Fraser in arguing a cross-checking call and earned himself an additional 2 minute bench minor for unsportsmanlike conduct.  The 'Canes took advantage to get back in the game, and found themselves down just 1 goal entering the final minute of regulation.  Current Hab Erik Cole scored to tie things up, and Therrien committed another gaff in OT with a face-off in the Montreal end.  Known as an Xs and Os coach who goes with gut feelings on who is hot on a given night, the coach sent out Bill Lindsay - a winger playing out of position in the middle - to take a defensive end faceoff in the extra frame.  Lindsay had the best FO win percentage in the game, but it was still far from a strength of his, not to mention that the team featured face-off whiz Yanic Perreault and shutdown center Joe Juneau, along with responsible veterans Doug Gilmour and Saku Koivu.  Lindsay lost the draw cleanly, and the puck came back to the point where Nic Wallin fired one home.  The Canadiens showed no life following that crushing defeat, losing in two straight blowouts.

Therrien was fired halfway through the following year with his team playing at an under .500 clip, but would rebound the following season with the AHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins.  He led the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to the Calder Cup Final in his first season with the team, and in his third year with the team got it off to a 21-1-3 start, leading to his replacing Ed Olcyzk as bench boss with the big club.  He would take Pittsburgh to the Stanley Cup Final in 2007-08, but after losing to the Detroit Red Wings, would be canned 57 games into the following season with his team just above the .500 mark despite a stacked roster.  The team's disappointing start is largely blamed on Therrien since Dan Bylsma took over the club and led them to a Stanley Cup win that very same season.  

Therrien also gained a reputation throughout his career as being a coach that his own players hate, given his tactic of trying to get under their skin to motivate them to deliver their best.  A prime example was on display in this now infamous press conference:

I fully understand that people can learn from their mistakes, and coaches can evolve over time.  However, Therrien hasn't been in coaching since that 2008-09 season, instead currently serving as a scout for the Minnesota Wild, so we have no way to know what kind of attitudes or demeanour he would bring to the job.  Still, he's a candidate in part largely due to a good off-ice relationship with Bergevin, who has shown a strong propensity for hiring those he knows well  or are within his inner circle thus far.  It is important that Bergevin hires someone who is on the same page as him, and a guy he feels he can work with on a daily basis, as a team's GM and Head Coach need to be able to agree on how the players brought in should be used.  From the front office to the coaching staff, a team will only play to its highest potential if all have a unified vision.

Marc Crawford

51-year old Marc Crawford is hoping his stint as a television analyst will last only one season by getting back into the realm of coaching.  While his playing career was only moderately more successful than Therrien's - he played 176 NHL games, all with the Vancouver Canucks - Crawford brings with him 15 years experience as an NHL head coach.  His transition from playing to coaching began in the OHL where he led the Cornwall Royals for two seasons with little success, but enough to earn him a chance as Coach of the AHL's St. John Maple Leafs.  He brought the team to the Calder Cup Final in his first season there, and after second round exits the following two seasons, was named Head Coach of the Quebec Nordiques for the lockout-shortened 1994-95 campaign.

Crawford stayed with the organization when they moved to Colorado, winning the Stanley Cup in 1996, and taking the team led by Patrick Roy, Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, and others back to the Conference Finals a year later.  When his star-studded Avs were knocked out in round 1 in 1998, he was relieved of his duties, re-emerging with the Vancouver Canucks midway through the following season.  

Crawford coached the Canucks for 7 seasons but never made it past the second round of the playoffs, missing them altogether three times.  The 2003-04 season - his second to last - is the one that most will criticize him for.  In an incident that few should need to be reminded of, in a February 16, 2004 game, Colorado's Steve Moore concussed Vancouver captain Markus Naslund with a hit that was missed by officials, and deemed unsuspendable by the league.  Rather than calm and re-focus his club, Crawford stoked some fires, criticizing officials and suggesting the league should offer protection for its superstars.  While the next Avs-Nucks matchup was relatively uneventful, a subsequent game got ugly.  With Vancouver trailing by a big score, Todd Bertuzzi looked to make a statement by battling Moore, who wanted no part of the larger man, already having answered the bell to a bout with tough guy Matt Cooke in the first period.  When Moore ignored the invitation to drop the gloves, Bertuzzi grabbed Moore from behind, pulled him by the jersey, and punched him to the back of the head, falling on top of him which drove his face into the ice.  

When words like "pre-meditated" get thrown around, you have to look at the Coach as not having proper control of his players, particularly given the act occurred at a time when the game's outcome was out of reach.  Some accounts of that game had Crawford chuckling while watching Bertuzzi's actions, though this is nothing but rumour (others saw Bertuzzi acted in stark contrast to Crawford's instructions).  The other problem is that this issue has not been laid to rest, with an ongoing lawsuit on Moore's part (his career was ended by the "attack") having Crawford as one of the defendants, and Bertuzzi himself even indicating that Crawford should share in the blame due to his inciting the team to, "make Moore pay the price."  This off-ice sideshow could serve as a distraction for a team, particularly in a media-frenzied city like Montreal.

But it isn't just about "the incident."  Crawford missed the playoffs the following season, and would also miss them in his next two years with Los Angeles.  Crawford drew fire from many by encouraging his General Manager with the Kings to acquire his starting netminder from Vancouver in Dan Cloutier, a goaltender that many held in rather low regard.  Dismal .415 and .433 winning percentages cost him his job with the Kings, and after a year off, he was named Coach of the Dallas Stars, where he also failed to reach the playoffs in consecutive years.  Crawford was fired in 2011 and joined the TSN panel having missed the post-season for each of his final five seasons.

Crawford is known as a tactician, being one of the pioneers of the 1-3-1 trap system.  He has a relationship with Bergevin, having served as his Coach for the final 9 games of Bergevin's career (in Vancouver) in 2003-04.  To his credit, he has watched more Montreal Canadiens and other Canadian team games this past season than most who would be considered candidates for the job, having to analyze them and breakdown many aspects for the television audience.  But is he a good fit in Montreal?  As Crawford himself said in a recent interview, "The most important thing in any job is that the general manager and coach are on the same page." If Bergevin thinks Crow is that guy for him, then he will get the job.

Of the two, I'm not a particular fan of either.  My only hope is that whichever is named brings along some experienced Assistants who may compensate for some of his areas of weakness (e.g. a Larry Robinson or Andy Murray).

Bob Hartley Announced as Flames Head Coach

The coaching candidate pool in Montreal took a blow today as the Calgary Flames announced that Bob Hartley will be the team's next Head Coach.

Hartley was considered a frontrunner for the Montreal job, though we may never know if GM Marc Bergevin opted for another candidate, or if it was Hartley who turned down the Canadiens interest to join the Flames.  Many fake Twitter insiders took an educated guess that Hartley would be Bergevin's man, announcing it as fact over the internet during the past week, which should be a lesson to many in trusting certain sources.  It seems Hockey Insider 101 has become make a pre-emptive announcement then hope it comes true so you can claim yourself an insider.  If it doesn't, just say your sources were wrong or some parameter changed.  Appears to be a great recipe for gaining followers, but not one this site or Twitter account will ever endorse.

With Hartley out of the equation (and reportedly Patrick Roy out of consideration as well), that leaves Guy Carbonneau, Michel Therrien, and Marc Crawford as the most widely-discussed Montreal coaching candidates.  Other bilingual names mentioned include Martin Raymond and Benoit Groulx, though many hope an unheralded candidate ends up winning out, unimpressed by these names.

Bob McKenzie appears to believe it's down to Therrien and Crawford for the job:

UPDATES: A few tidbits from Hartley's press conference in Calgary this afternoon.

- Yes, he had met with the Canadiens, and had several phone conversations with them.
- When Alex Tanguay was with the Habs, and the team was looking for a coach, Tanguay phoned Hartley (the two had been together in Colorado) to say that he'd appreciate if Bob came to Montreal, as he was the type of coach he needed.
- Hartley had a meeting scheduled with the Canadiens for "later this week," but phoned Marc Bergevin this morning to inform him he'd opted to take a deal with Calgary.  Bergevin was quoted as wishing Hartley good luck, indicating that while they had spoken, he wasn't ready to name a coach just yet.

So from this, we can gather that Hartley was one of Bergevin's final candidates.  It remains to be seen what he'll do now that Hartley is out of the running.

10 More Head Coaching Candidates

Last week, I presented my personal top 10 candidates for the Canadiens' head coaching vacancy.  There have been some updates since, with some readers asking why I left off name X, Y, or Z, and the addition of one new potential candidate still employed by another team.  Plus we found out yesterday that Mike Gillis was extended as GM in Vancouver, which likely rules out my number 1 hope, his head coach Alain Vigneault, at least for the time being.  So today, here are 10 names (in no particular order) that weren't on my initial list, with a brief profile, and why they were initially excluded.

1. Joel Quenneville

As I discussed yesterday, Elliot Friedman indicated on CBC that GM Marc Bergevin may inquire with his old club about the availability of Quenneville, who has one year remaining on his contract in Chicago.  It seems Quenneville and Hawks' GM Stan Bowman don't always see eye to eye, and even many Blackhawk fans seem to have little patience left with him.  If he is relieved of his duties following two years of first round exits, the 53 year old would be a strong candidate for the opening in Montreal.  He understands some French and can speak a few words, having gone to French school in Windsor, Ontario growing up.  He has 15 years experience as an NHL head coach, split between St. Louis, Colorado, and Chicago, where he won a Stanley Cup in 2010.  His playoff record isn't stellar otherwise, but the man perhaps most famous for his moustache would be a far safer pick than an experienced rookie coach out of the QMJHL.  He was left of the list initially as I didn't believe he'd be available, but it now seems like there is a chance.

UPDATE: A report with quotes from Chicago GM Stan Bowman today indicated that Quenneville is expected to be back in Chicago next year.  So let's replace him on the list with someone else to keep it at 10 eligible candidates.

1. Benoit Groulx

Groulx, 44, is seen as one of the QMJHL's coaching stars and a future NHL exec.  He has been a Head Coach for 10 seasons and won three league Q titles - one with the Hull Olympiques and 2 after the club relocated to Gatineau.  He moved to the AHL for two years to coach the Rochester Americans, but then returned to Gatineau in 2010, taking his team to the Finals in his first year back.  Things weren't as peachy this season, as his regular season record was a paltry 26-32-10, and the Olympiques were swept in the first round.

2. Michel Therrien

Therrien only had one full season as a head coach in Montreal, taking over 20 games into 2000-01, a year the team missed the playoffs, making the second round of the post-season the year after, and then being fired 46 games into his third season behind the bench.  He came to Montreal with no NHL experience, having coached 5 years in the QMJHL and 3 in the AHL.  After his stint with the Canadiens, he returned to the AHL for 2 and a half seasons before getting another look, this time as coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins, which lasted for four seasons, including a trip to the Stanley Cup finals.  However, he has been out of coaching since 2008-09, currently a scout for the Minnesota Wild.  His style doesn't seem to mesh well with a change in direction in Montreal, as he smiles about as often as Jacques Martin and is similarly criticized for not encouraging aggressive enough play.

3. Guy Carbonneau

Carbonneau was another rookie Coach given his big shot in Montreal, first as an Assistant Coach, and then as Head Coach for just under three full seasons.  After missing the post-season in his first year behind the bench, he took the Habs to the second round in 2007-08, and was fired 66 games into 2008-09 when he couldn't stop a slide despite his team's 35-24-7 record at that point.  Aside from stepping in for 15 games to coach the team he owns, the QMJHL's Chicoutimi Saguineens, last year, he hasn't gained any experience since leaving Montreal, spending his time primarily as an RDS analyst.  Carbo faced a lot of criticism in Montreal, including not having strong enough control over his players and locker room, particularly when it came to dealing with off-ice distractions, something critical in a market like Montreal.  Perhaps the biggest flaw many saw in him were regularly illogical line combinations, with many players often asked to play out of position.  Like many have advised Pierre McGuire if he wants to be a GM, if Carbonneau wants to be an NHL Head Coach, he should get out of broadcasting and get back to working at some level - an Assistant Coach, a junior Coach, and AHL Coach... anything.

4. Guy Boucher

Boucher was left off the list because he is also currently employed, and I have my doubts that Tampa Bay will fire him after just two seasons, one of which produced a run to the third round of the playoffs, but it's a subject that has been discussed in the media.  Boucher is young and inexperienced, with just three years Head Coach'ing in the Q, 1 in Hamilton, and 2 with the Lightning under his belt, but is seen as an up-and-comer in some circles.  Still, even if he were available, I wouldn't want him.  His sit-back defensive style has been widely criticized, and is the opposite of what most Hab fans foresee and hope for the team.  It certainly doesn't fall in line with the kind of system Bergevin watched in Chicago.  Boucher is an intelligent hockey person, but seems to coach like the guy at #5 on the list did before him, and thus is unlikely to implement the kind of approach the team will take.

5. Jacques Lemaire

I've seen Lemarie's name brought up by a number of people, and rightfully so with a Stanley Cup ring and 2 Jack Adams Awards to his name.  Lemaire has been an NHL head coach for 17 seasons, 2 of which were in Montreal... back in 1983!  The reasons for him not being a fit are easy to rattle off: at age 66, does he really represent stability for the organization?  Like Boucher, will he continue to preach the defensive shell system that earned him respect and success as a coach?  If so, is that really what Montreal needs?  Are his tactics too outdated for today's NHL?  What about the fact that despite his successes, in 17 years, he has missed the playoffs 7 times and lost in the first round another 4?  Lemaire has had a great run as a bench boss, but it is probably that it came to an end when he was pushed aside by the New Jersey Devils during the 2010-11 season.  If he hopes to coach again, it won't be in Montreal.

6. Larry Robinson

Robinson is currently an Assistant Coach with the Devils, contributing to their run in this year's playoffs.  He has served as New Jersey's Head Coach on a few occasions, totaling 173 games in the role between 1999 and 2006.  Before that, he was Head Coach of the Los Angeles Kings for four seasons, from 1995 through 1999.  The legendary Hab defenseman sounds like an ideal candidate, except that he has in past stepped down from a Head Coach'ing job citing that the pressure and responsibility was too much for him; more than he wanted to take on at that stage.  There is no position in hockey (or perhaps in sports) with more pressure than the Head Coach of the Montreal Canadiens, so I don't see him as a fit.  If he wants a change of scenery, he could make a great Assistant Coach responsible for the defensemen, something fans have been hoping for over the past many years, but it is unlikely he'd leave New Jersey for such an opportunity at this time.

7. Ted Nolan

Nolan, 54, is an interesting story.  He once seemed on the rise towards coaching glory, with 5 years experience as Coach of the OHL's Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds earning him a job as an Assistant with the Hartford Whalers in 1994.  The next season, the Buffalo Sabres made him their head coach, and in his second year there, he took the team to the second round of the playoffs, winning the Jack Adams for his troubles.  Yet, something was amiss.  His relationship with GM John Muckler and his team's only real star player, Dominik Hasek, was strained, particularly during the playoffs where he refused to protect an injured Hasek from media criticism, leading to a messy altercation.  The off-ice issues led to Muckler being replaced by Darcy Regier that off-season, and Regier didn't want to commit long-term or overpay Nolan given the situation he was walking into, so Nolan opted to leave the club.  He would also turn down a couple of other offers that summer and the next, but was then out of the coaching game until 2005.  This is truly remarkable for a guy coming off being named Coach of the Year, and speculated reasons included racism against his aboriginal roots and a reputation as being difficult for a GM to work with.  He took over the Moncton Wildcats in the QMJHL for the 05-06 season and led them to a championship, earning him a shot as Head Coach of the New York Islanders the following year.  He lasted only two season there, however, and then moved on to be VP of Hockey Operations for the AHL's Rochester Americans.  Finally, he re-entered the coaching game once again a year ago, but this time overseas, as Head Coach for Latvia's National Mens team (meaning he's currently at the IIHF World Hockey Championship).  Will he ever be back in the NHL?  It's certainly possible.  But a city with as much media scrutiny and off-ice pressure as Montreal isn't right for him.

8. Jim Playfair

Playfair, 47, was a teammate of Marc Beregvin's in 1987-88 with both the Saginaw Hawks and Chicago Blackhawks.  While Playfair didn't have a long NHL career, he has gained experience as a Head Coach, moving from the ECHL to the IHL, then the AHL, where he won a championship in his first season behind the bench of the Saint John Flames in 2000-01.  He remained there for 2 more years before joining Calgary as an Assistant Coach, and then for one season as Head Coach in 2006-07, before being demoted to an Associate Coaching role despite qualifying for the playoffs.  Wanting to be a Head Coach again, he returned to the AHL with the Abbotsford Heat in 2009, but after two years there, sought a new opportunity this season as an Associate Coach with the Phoenix Coyotes, playing a part in their current run.  He seems to be well qualified to lead an NHL club again someday, but is Montreal right for him?  He is known to have a hot temper, which everyone witnessed during an Abbotsford game against the Hamilton Bulldogs, when following a penalty call with which he vehemently disagreed, he began yelling and breaking players' sticks over the bench, throwing his suit jacket to the ground.  For the same reason that I have my doubts about Patrick Roy in this city, I'm also unconvinced that Playfair's temperament would work.  And I'm not sure that the Fort St. James, B.C. native is fluent in French either.

9. John Stevens

Stevens, 46, also played with Bergevin, between 1990 and 1992 with the Hartford Whalers and Springfield Indians.  After two years as an Assistant Coach with the AHL's Philadelphia Phantoms, Stevens became their Head Coach in 2000-01, and remained as such for 6 seasons, winning an AHL championship in 2005. He moved to the NHL as an Assistant and soon thereafter Head Coach with Philadelphia, which is his stint that most will remember him from, leading the Flyers for 3 seasons before being replaced 26 games into his fourth.  He rebounded the following season as an Assistant Coach in Los Angeles, which is where he remains today, a part of the Kings' current playoff drive.  He has one year remaining on his contract with the Kings, but if Montreal were to offer him a Head Coach'ing position, they might be able to negotiate his transfer.  Stevens is a native of New Brunswick, and I'm doubtful of his mastery of la Langue Moliere, and that might be his downfall.  But the Habs did interview unilingual anglophones for the GM job after all.

10.  Jacques Martin

No, this is not a joke.  It is a fact that, of bilingual and available NHL coaches - heck of all available NHL coaches - Jacques Martin has the best and most current resume.  With the exception of 2008-09 and the lockout season, he has been an NHL Head Coach every year since 1995-96, and missed the playoffs only in his first NHL season and his three in Florida (not counting this year in Montreal).  Of course, Martin won't return.  First, Geoff Molson would never allow such a ridiculous move of bringing back a guy he oversaw the firing of a few months ago just because a new General Manager is in place.  Next, he still isn't the right fit in Montreal.  The team's new GM stresses communication, which is one of Martin's biggest weaknesses.  He rides veterans on a team that will be integrating many young players.  And his playoff record is far from stellar - five first round exits with Ottawa, and only two trips to the third round (including 2010 with the Habs).  I've heard his name come up from some fans though, so had to include him on this list.