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.

Habs Hires Update

Whenever prompted, Montreal Canadiens General Manager Marc Bergevin continues to utter that he has no specific deadline or timetable for making any hire.  He wants to go through a thorough process, he'll say, and examine all possible candidates.  That's all fine and good, but it has left Hab fans everywhere itching for news on a daily basis.  Who will be hired as coach?  When will his new front office staff be announced?  What about his scouts?

Well, the coaching situation appears to be at a standstill.  Darren Dreger on TSN Sporscentre last night indicated that there is no clear frontrunner for the position at this time, though he did mention the widely speculated names of Marc Crawford, Bob Hartley, and Michel Therrien.  One hold-up could be that Gerard Gallant, a popular candidate and my personal choice, is still currently coaching the Saint John Sea Dogs in the Memorial Cup, meaning any interviews with him would likely still be a few days away.  The caveat with Gallant is that he doesn't really speak French, though he can understand a fair bit after coaching several seasons in the QMJHL.

There is some movement on other fronts, however.  Thanks to Twitter follower @HabsLinks, an article HERE has confirmed today that the Canadiens have hired Bobby Kinsella (pictured at left) as a new scout for the mid-western United States.  He will be based in Chicago, covering primarily the USHL, but also the NCAA, and top-tiered high school and midget programs.  Prior to this move, the Habs had Ryan Jankowski scouting both western Canada and the western U.S.A., while also having Pat Westrum focused on amateur scouting in the west of the U.S.  No indication as of yet how the hiring of Kinsella will impact the geographic coverage, but adding additional scouts was one of Bergevin's missions from day 1, and will likely only help Montreal at the draft table moving forward.  I suspect the move will be good for Canadian scouting as well, with one likely option being that Jankowski now devote all of his energies just to the WHL, though Elmer Benning currently has that focus as well.

Kinsella most recently served as both Assistant Coach and Director of Scouting for the Dubuque Fighting Saints.  There are some interesting ties here, as the team's General Manager and Head Coach is former Hab Jim Montgomery, and the club just selected top 2012 prospect Mark Jankowski - nephew of the aforemention Hab scout Ryan - in the USHL entry draft.  (Might Kinsella push for the team to take Mark at pick 33?)  Moreover, Kinsella spent five years as an Assistant Coach and Scout with the Sioux City Musketeers, one of which was during Max Pacioretty's season there in 2006-07 just prior to his selection by the Canadiens.  In between these two stints, Kinsella also spent two seasons as Head Coach and GM of the Boston Junior Rangers, a Midget AAA-U18 club, so all in all, he seems to be a good hockey person well experienced at working with and watching younger talent, while still young himself with room to grow in the organization at age 37.

A bit of news announced yesterday was that Scott Mellanby was stepping down from his role as Assistant Coach with the St. Louis Blues to pursue other opportunities, stating that his hear was in hockey operations rather than coaching.  TSN's Bob McKenzie was quick to Tweet that it wouldn't be a surprise if Mellanby - a Montreal native who speaks at least a bit of French - surfaces as one of Marc Bergevin's Assistants in Montreal.  After completing his playing career of over 1,400 games in 2006-07, Mellanby worked for three seasons as a Scout and Special Consultant to the GM with the Vancouver Canucks, before moving on to spend the last two seasons behind the bench in St. Louis.  Given his relative inexperience, it would be interesting to see what kind of role Montreal might offer him and what this means for Rick Dudley joining the organization - a process that appears mysteriously stalled, though the team might simply be opting to wait until after the draft to avoid any accusations of tampering (though Dreger Tweeted this morning that it is likely to happen prior to draft day).  One likely scenario is that if both are to join the organization, Mellanby might gain experience by being tabbed GM of the Hamilton Bulldogs, while Dudley would cover Pro Scouting.

These are the names being thrown around as of today, but the talk is only likely to intensify as we move towards the draft and July 1st, or particularly as Bergevin has had more days on the job.  Whatever the case, with more and more negative perceptions of the old Gauthier / Gainey / Martin regime coming out all the time, all of these new names are a breath of fresh air.

Your Canadiens for May 15, 2012

Since I was unable to post yesterday as mentioned on Twitter, we'll start today playing catch-up before getting into more new features!


COACHING UPDATES
It's been quiet on the Habs' front the past few day, which is to be expected as new General Manager Marc Bergevin settles into his role and assessed what he has in place in terms of staff and players.  A Tweet from TSN's Bob McKenzie yesterday indicated the Canadiens were still in the early stages of their coaching search, in the process of contacting candidates on the list they've assembled.  Some of the names he mentioned included Bob Hartley (who is also linked to the vacancy in Calgary), Marc Crawford, Michel Therrien, and Guy Carbonneau.  As I've mentioned previously, there is no rush to find the right man for this job, though it would be preferable to have a coaching staff in place prior to July 1st, since a UFA is more likely to sign if they have an understanding of the environment they'll be walking into.

Also on the coaching front, New Jersey Devils' Assistant Coach Larry Robinson refuted a report of last week (coming directly from his agent) that said he had interested in joining the Canadiens.  It could be speculated, however, that he is denying his interest only to avoid distraction since his current squad is playing in the Conference Finals at the moment.


THE DUDLEY SITUATION
A week ago, it seemed like Rick Dudley joining Montreal's front office was imminent, but the situation grew increasingly complex and we are still waiting on action.  The biggest issue of contention is that, though Dudley has an out clause in his contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs, he has put in significant work preparing the team for the upcoming Entry Draft, where they select 5th overall in each round to Montreal's 3rd.  As such, he has been privy to a lot of sensitive information, and it has been stipulated that if/when he does join the Habs, he will be unable to work this year's Draft on their behalf.  That said, his escape clause has been confirmed by Leafs' GM Brian Burke, meaning that the only other remaining detail is for his contract with the Canadiens to be worked out.


WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP UPDATES
It's been a tough World Championship for Denmark who finally got their first win by beating Lativa 2-0 yesterday, but were then thumped by surprising Norway 6-2 this morning.  Montreal's Lars Eller finished the preliminary round leading his team with 3 goals and 5 points, and the club's 1 win and 1 overtime loss were enough to keep them ahead of Italy (despite losing to them in that overtime game) and avoid relegation.  Eller led all Danish forwards (and ranked third overall on the team) in ice time per game, averaging 20:56 a night.

Habs' Max Pacioretty has figured amongst the tournament's leading scorers throughout the preliminary round, with an impressive 2 goals and 10 points in just 6 games, some 3 points ahead of the second leading scorer on his club, defenseman Justin Faulk.  The Americans close out their preliminary round later this afternoon against Switzerland, though their spot in the quarter finals has already been confirmed.

The Russian squad rattled off an impressive 7-0-0 record in the preliminary round to win their group, and their squad will be bolstered by the additions of Alex Ovechkin and Alexander Semin for the quarter-finals.  After missing part of a game due to injury, and being held out for another cause of a suspension for a spear on Sweden/Detroit's Johan Franzen, Alexei Emelin has slotted back in as an important defender for the squad.  He plays on the team's top pairing and has produced 1 goal and 1 assist in 6 games, while tying for a team-high amongst d-men with a +7 rating.  Sticking with this team, former Canadiens forward Alexander Perezhogin has been impressive in the tournament, racking up 3 goals and 8 points in 7 matches.  The Habs' lost the rights to Perezhogin, 28, last summer, meaning that if he were to ever consider returning to North America from the KHL, he would be an unrestricted free agent.

The Czech Republic has also locked in a quarterfinal berth, though their final game against Germany this afternoon impacts where they'll finish.  Montreal's Tomas Plekanec leads all Czech players with 5 points in 6 games thus far, and his average ice time of 17:47 per game ranks second among forwards on the squad to only David Krejci of the Boston Bruins.

In other Worlds news, Canada finished the preliminary round with a 6-0-1 record to win their group.  Despite a moral victory of taking Team U.S.A. to overtime, Kazakhstan finished last in the division, meaning like the Italians, they will be relegated next year.  The impressive/surprising story on this side has been Team France, led by former Habs' netminder Cristobal Huet, which currently sits at 3-3-0.  They are playing against Slovakia at the time of writing, tied 2-2 in the second, and if they can win in regulation, they will qualify for the tournament's quarterfinals by having beaten the Slovaks, thus ending the tournament for Zdeno Chara and his countrymen.

HABS INTERESTED IN DAMIEN BRUNNER
It has been reported that at least three NHL clubs have made offers to Swiss forward Damien Brunner, including the Minnesota Wild, Detroit Red Wings, and your Montreal Canadiens.  Brunner, 26, isn't the biggest player at 5'11", 176 lbs, but is highly skilled, becoming the first Swiss-born and trained player to lead the Swiss A league in scoring in over 30 years this past season, with 24 goals and 60 points (a full 21 points ahead of his nearest teammate) in just 45 games as a teammate and regular linemate of ex-Hab Glen Metropolit.  Though Switzerland failed to qualify for the quarterfinals at the IIHF WHC, Brunner was a big part of their offense, leading the team with 3 goals and 6 points through 6 games.  No, another undersized forward is not exactly what the Habs are looking for right now, but we're talking about a player with a lot of potential who could be had without sacrificing any assets.  There is very little risk, and significant potential reward in getting Brunner under contract, so we can only hope that Metropolit and Swiss countrymen Raphael Diaz and Yannick Weber talk the city up to him.

UPCOMING CONTENT SCHEDULE
Quick announcement that tomorrow in our Around the League(s) segment, we'll be previewing the Memorial Cup which gets underway Friday.  Next week, as we approach the one-month mark till the NHL Entry Draft, we'll begin to discuss in greater detail the options and players the Canadiens have available to them.

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.

Your Canadiens for May 7, 2012

Catching up on a few stories to start the week.


RICK DUDLEY TO JOIN HABS' FRONT OFFICE

Based on many reports, the worst-kept secret of the past week looks like it'll be imminently resolved.  Even before Marc Bergevin was officially announced as the new General Manager of the Montreal Canadiens, many felt that if he were to get the job, he'd bring his good friend Rick Dudley (pictured left) - currently employed by the Toronto Maple Leafs - with him.  Well it has become public that Bergevin is in discussion with Toronto GM Brian Burke about bringing Dudley to Montreal, so it seems like only matter of time.  How much time, however, may be complicated, as it seems that Dudley has put in significant work in preparing the Leafs for the upcoming entry draft, where Toronto holds the 5th pick in each round just two after Montreal's third selection.  Thus, Burke would love for Dudley's transfer to be delayed till after June 23rd, but it also appears that Dudley has an out clause in his contract with the Leafs which may permit him to leave earlier for another opportunity.

In either case, this is phenomenal news for Canadiens fans.  Dudley is a top notch talent evaluator and brings a wealth of experience in supporting Bergevin as an Assistant General Manager.  If Montreal's front office is to include Bergevin, Dudley, and Trevor Timmins, with potentially a capologist to be added as well (unless Larry Carriere assumes those functions), the Habs' future is in good hands.


CONFIRMED COACHING CANDIDATES

At his inaugural press conference, Marc Bergevin indicated that he wanted to keep his coach search confidential, just as the GM search had been.  Well we know that in the end, GM candidate names leaked out one by one (and were subsequently eliminated one at a time), and it does seem we will get news on the coach front in the same manner.  A first report indicated that Marc Crawford was set to meet with Bergevin, and now per an Elliot Friedman report, Bergevin is talking to his former team about their intentions on head coach Joel Quenneville.  There has been talk of the team not being happy with Coach Q, as he is known, and some fans have even indicated they'd be happy to see him axed.  There is no guarantee that he'll be available, since he still has 1 year remaining on his contract, but if he were let go, he would immediately become a top candidate for the Montreal job given his wealth of experience.  Before you ask, he attended a French school growing up in Windsor, Ontario, so has a basic understanding of the language, but isn't fluent.


CHL PLAYOFF UPDATE

Two Hab prospects are currently playing in their league finals, with Nathan Beaulieu and the Saint John Sea Dogs facing Rimouski in the QMJHL, and Jarred Tinordi and the London Knights playing Niagara in the OHL.

The Sea Dogs are up 2-0 in their series, with Beaulieu scoring a goal and being named first star in the series opener.  Montreal's 2011 first rounder has 13 points in 15 games this post-season, after scoring 17 in 19 in the playoffs a year ago.

London and Niagara are even at a game apiece, with Tinordi scoring a goal and finishing a +3 in his team's game 2 5-3 win.  Tinordi's goal is already his third of the playoffs (and 8th point) in just 16 games this season.  Over two regular seasons, in 111 games, he also scored a total of 3 goals, so he has clearly elevated his game offensively.

In other news, as this year's host, though they've long been eliminated from the QMJHL playoffs, the Shawinigan Cataractes continue to wait to find out who their Memorial Cup opposition will be.  It was revealed Friday that former NHL head coach Bob Hartley will join the team's staff for the tournament.  If he is to be considered a candidate to take over in Montreal, then getting some North American experience again after a year in Switzerland, and getting to work with Hab prospects Michael Bournival and Morgan Ellis certainly won't hurt his chances.


WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS UPDATE


Max Pacioretty is among the early scoring leaders at the IIHF World Hockey Championships with a goal and 4 assists through 3 games for Team USA.  He plays on the team's top line with Paul Stastny and Bobby Ryan.

Tomas Plekanec has been productive for the Czech Republic, with 3 assists in 3 games.  That ties him for his team lead with the Oilers' Ales Hemsky, who has 3 goals.

Denmark's lack of depth has seen them struggle at the Worlds, but Lars Eller has gotten on the board with two goals and an assist through 3 games.  He is averaging over 20 minutes a night.

Also averaging 20 minutes a game is Russia's Alexei Emelin.  In 2 games, he has recorded an assist, and is tied for the team lead with a +4 rating.

Among former Canadiens in the tournament, as usual, Mark Streit has been a key cog for the Swiss, with 2 goals and an assist in his first 2 games.  Alexander Perezhogin has been an offensive spark for the Russians, with a goal and 2 assists also in 2 games.

At 2-0-1, Team Canada was happy to see Slovakia beat the United States in regulation today, after Canada had lost to the Americans in overtime.  This allows Canada to still aspire to win their division, though Finland remains in their path, having posted consecutive 1-0 shutout wins thus far.

Top 10 Habs Coaching Candidates

With the General Manager search having reached its conclusion with yesterday's hiring of Marc Bergevin, the new Canadiens frontman can now turn his attention to filling out his staff.  There has already been talk about Bergevin's friends and acquaintances, notably Rick Dudley and Martin Lapointe, being added to the staff, but he will also have to address the coaching situation in the coming weeks or months.  Yesterday, Randy Cunneyworth was reassigned to an Assistant Coaching role.  Randy Ladouceur remains employed as an Assistant Coach, Pierre Groulx as Goaltending Coach, and Clement Jodoin as coach of the Hamilton Bulldogs.  Any and/or all of these positions may change over the course of the off-season as the new GM evaluates his staff and how they fit into his short- and long-term plans for the club, while, as Bergevin put it, the final supporting bench staff will be determined by the new Head Coach.

With the departures of the likes of Guy Boucher and Kirk Muller, we are left looking outside the organization for coaching replacements.  Unfortunately, if we assume that being bilingual is a prerequisite, we are short on highly qualified candidates, but here are 10 who might fit the bill.

10) Denis Savard
While he may not be seen as a top candidate for head coach, don't be surprised if Savard joins the Canadiens organization in some capacity.  Savard is a Quebec native who spent most of his playing career with the Chicago Blackhawks, but also suited up for the Habs in three years, being a part of the 1993 Stanley Cup winning team (though he was hurt for much of the playoffs).  After his retirement following the 1996-97 season (with 1,196 regular season games and 1,338 points under his belt), he was made an Assistant Coach with the Hawks and remained in that role through the 2006-07 season, when he took over as Head Coach after 21 games.  Chicago failed to make the playoffs that season or the next, and as such 4 games into his third season in the role, Savard was fired from the organization.  Since that time, the Hall of Fame forward has served as a Scout and Ambassador for the organization.    Bergevin played with Savard for five seasons in Chicago and for two more years with the Tampa Bay Lightning.  Bergevin also served as Savard's Assistant Coach in 2008, with the two forming part of the Hawks' staff together for many years.  They are thus very familiar with one another, which is sure to earn Savard a look for the position if he is interested, and while he may find himself outclassed since he has at least temporarily left the coaching gig, it would be a logical conclusion to think he may factor into Bergevin's plans.

9) Bob Boughner
Boughner was also a teammate of Bergevin's for one season in Pittsburgh (2000-01) and, though young at age 41, he has established a pretty distinguished coaching resume.  He was named head coach of the OHL's Windsor Spitfires in 2006, and stayed in the role for four seasons, leading the team to OHL Championships in both 2009 and 2010.  He was recognized as the Ontario League's top coach in both 2008 and 2009, earning the same recognition for the CHL as a whole in both of those seasons.  Boughner made a leap to the NHL for the 2010-11 season as an Assistant Coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets, but decided it wasn't for him and resigned last summer citing family and business commitments in Windsor.  He returned as Head Coach of the Spitfires this season, but the club struggled, barely scraping into the playoffs before being swept in the opening round by Jarred Tinordi's London Knights.  Is Boughner, one year later, now ready to leave his hometown of Windsor?  Would the possibility of an NHL Head Coaching job woo him away?  Perhaps.

8) Clement Jodoin
Jodoin is the current coach of the Hamilton Bulldogs, before which he led the QMJHL's Lewiston MAINEiacs and then Rimouski Oceanic for four seasons.  If his name is more familiar to you than one season in the AHL would indicate, it's because he was an Assistant Coach with the Canadiens between 1997-98 and 2002-03.  He's also held jobs as a Head Coach of the Halifax Mooseheads and Halifax Citadels, and Assistant Coach of the Quebec Nordiques and Pittsburgh Penguins, going back to 1987-88.  Despite his lengthy career, Jodoin hasn't been able to lead a team to a championship, with two third round exits being his best finishes.  But he was twice named the QMJHL's Coach of the Year in 1997 and 2007, and of course is bilingual, plus has familiarity with some of the organization's younger players, so his name will come up in discussions.  He is an older guy, however, and if the signing of Bergevin and Geoff Molson's stated interest in bringing stability to the organization hold true, the team may want a more youthful coach to grow with the organization and be around long-term.  Jodoin once coached Bergevin some 30 years ago at a junior level.

7) Marc Crawford
Prior to his days as a TSN Analyst, Crawford was a successful Head Coach.  Starting in the OHL, and then moving to the AHL, where he took the St. John's Maple Leafs to the Calder Cup Finals and was named Coach of the year a season later, he became an NHL bench boss just five seasons after his playing career had ended.  Crawford first took over at the helm of the Quebec Nordiques, and despite a first round exit, became the youngest coach ever to win the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year.  In his second season behind the now-Colorado Avalanche's bench, Crawford won the Stanley Cup.  He remained with the Avs for two more seasons, before moving on to coach the Vancouver Canucks for 7 years without ever making it out of the second round (including in 2003-04, when Bergevin played 9 games for Crawford's Canucks).  His coaching resume concluded with two seasons in Los Angeles and two in Dallas, with neither yielding a playoff appearance.  He was fired by the Stars just over a year ago on April 12, 2011.  Crawford speaks French and has experience, which makes him a candidate with the right credentials.  However, many see his record as troubling, claiming that anyone could have won a Cup with the stacked Avs roster of the mid-to-late '90s.  His performances following that season were far from impressive.

6) Patrick Roy
Habs fans of course need no introduction to Roy as a player, but he has already completed his seventh season as Head Coach (and Owner and General Manager) of the QMJHL's Quebec Remparts.  In his first season as coach, he led the Remparts to the Q finals, where they lost, but they got the last laugh by winning the Memorial Cup that season.  He has not since returned to the finals, but has twice reached the third round.  At age 46, he fits the bill as a young coach who could remain in the post, has matured (at least to an extent) since his playing days, knows all about what it is to be in the spotlight in Montreal, and is seen as a future NHL guy by all.  So what's the problem?  Simply put, his attitude.  Roy is self-centered and likes to hog the attention.  He has an impressive CV, but is full of himself.  In a way, he might be a coach not unlike John Tortorella in New York.  He's also tended to have off-ice distractions follow him every so often.  Could that work in the NHL?  Sure, Tortorella is a candidate for the Jack Adams this year.  But would it work in Montreal with the organizational culture and media pressures?  I have my doubts.  Especially with Bergevin's stated collaborative "no one individual is greater than the team" mantra.  Doesn't strike me as a fit.

5) Bob Hartley
Hartley has been a coach since 1991-92, when he led the QMJHL's Laval Titan.  He won a Championship with them in his second season, then moved on to be Assistant and after a year Head Coach of the AHL's Cornwall Aces.  He moved to coach the Hershey Bears in 1996-97, winning an AHL Championship in his first season there, and spent one more year with the team before jumping to the NHL as Head Coach of the Colorado Avalanche.  After third round exits in his first two seasons with the Avs, he won a Stanley Cup in 2000-01, before losing in the Conference Finals for a third year the following season. With the team off to a shaky start in 2002-03, he was fired, but quickly rebounded at the helm of the Atlanta Thrashers.  Despite being a winner at every level, Hartley's reputation took a turn for the worse in Atlanta, where while missing the post-season in his first three years, he was often accused of unethical tactics, such as sending his enforcers after certain opposing players.  The 2006-07 season had Hartley take the Thrash to the post-season for the first (and only) time in franchise history, but they were swept in four games by the New York Rangers.  He was fired early on the following season when the team lost all of its first six games.  Hartley left North America for Europe just over a year ago, signing a two year deal to coach the ZSC Lions of the Swiss league.  In his first season there, he led them to the league championship, but is said to have some form of out clause from his contract for certain NHL offers.  A true winner, but how true also are the rumours about his questionable tactics?

4) Andy Murray
Murray first became an NHL Assistant Coach in 1988-89, the first of his two seasons in Philadelphia, before two seasons in the same capacity with the Minnesota North Stars, and another two with the Winnipeg Jets.  He finally got a shot at being a head coach with the Los Angeles Kings in 1999, and led the team for six seasons, qualifying for the playoffs on three occasions.  What you may not know or remember is that when he was let go by L.A. in 2006, he was hired by the Montreal Canadiens.  Not as a coach, but as a Front Office Consultant, a role he held for just a few months before leaving to coach the St. Louis Blues, but one which meant a lot to him as he had been a Habs fan growing up.  Murray was coach of the Blues for four seasons, but only had one playoff appearance, getting the axe during the 2009-10 season.  At 61, he is beyond the ideal age for a coaching candidate as it is questionable how long-term a fixture he would be, but he remains an active head coach, currently at the bar of the CCHA's Western Michigan University club in NCAA hockey.  Murray is an experienced, long-time hockey guy, with his greatest successes coming on the international stage, having won three gold medals from the IIHF World Hockey Championships as Canada's coach in 1997, 2003, and most recently 2007.  Are his NHL days in the past?  Maybe, but if he isn't to be a head coach, if the Canadiens opt to go the inexperienced route for the man in charge, Murray's wisdom might be a welcome addition in an Assistant Coaching capacity were he interested in such a role.

3) Pascal Vincent
Vincent, a Laval, Quebec native, is young - only 40 years of age.  He became Head Coach of the QMJHL's Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in 2000 and spent 8 seasons in the position, getting as far as the third round on two occasions.  In 2008-09, after being named QMJHL Coach of the Year the season prior, he became coach of the Montreal Junior, leading the club for three seasons and coaching forward Louis Leblanc in 2010-11.  Some saw him as a candidate to move on to Hamilton as Head Coach, graduating to the AHL along with Leblanc, but instead he jumped straight to the NHL this year, joining the Winnipeg Jets staff as an Assistant Coach.  Vincent is young and inexperienced, never having played professional hockey after his days in the QMJHL, but he seems to be on a fast track to head up an NHL club in the next few seasons.  If the Canadiens want stability, then now would be their only chance to tab Vincent their man, as by the time they are again searching for a Head Coach, he is likely to be employed elsewhere.  With the right mix of experienced Assistants (see: Andy Murray), Vincent might bring a fresh and refreshing perspective to what was seen as an Old Boys' Club in Montreal just one year ago.

2) Gerard Gallant (pictured at top)
Gallant, 48, played 615 NHL games, mostly with the Detroit Red Wings.  He was a teammate of Marc Bergevin's in 1993-94 with the Tampa Bay Lightning.  His playing career ended after the 1995-96 season, and debuted as a coach in 1999, in the Assistant role with the AHL's Louisville Panthers.  The P.E.I. native was appointed an Assistant Coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets prior to the 2001-02 season, and eventually took over Head Coach'ing duties in 2003-04.  The Jackets would fail to make the post-season that season and the next, and as such he was relieved 20 games into his third year in the role.  He became an Assistant Coach with the New York Islanders the following season, and remained for two years before jumping to the QMJHL to become a Head Coach again, at the helm of the Saint John Sea Dogs.  He lost in the finals in his first season, before winning the title and the Memorial Cup last season on a team that featured top Hab prospect Nathan Beaulieu.  Beaulieu and Gallant have returned to the Q finals with a stacked roster for a third straight season, with the series against Rimouski getting underway Friday.  Even though he has benefited from very talented teams in Saint John, many see it as a matter of time until Gallant returns to the NHL ranks.  He was named the Coach of the Year in both the Q and CHL each of the last two seasons, and as such was considered a top candidate for coach of the Ottawa Senators last summer.  Undoubtedly his name will come up in discussions once his team's season is over, but it may be a while if they win another championship (they are the favourites) and advance to the Memorial Cup.  However, despite a name that might make you think otherwise, his French is limited.

1) Alain Vigneault
Ten seasons of NHL Head Coach'ing experience, 4 of which were in Montreal, and came within 1 game of winning a Stanley Cup just one year ago.  A Jack Adams Award winner in 2006-07.  A French speaker from Quebec City.  Vigneault seems like a perfect candidate to take over the team in a return to the city that gave him his NHL Head Coaching debut after 8 years coaching in the QMJHL and 4 years as an Assistant with the Ottawa Senators.  The problem?  Well, he's still employed by the Vancouver Canucks.  Some eyebrows were raised when Vigneault did not attend the Canucks' end-of-season press conference, though GM Mike Gillis was quick to indicate it was merely his preference to do it alone, giving Vigneault a "vote of confidence."  Some compare that statement to a kiss of death, just being the politically correct statement even if a guy's days are numbered.  This is most often true when in the middle of a season, where a few more games in the wrong direction turn that "confidence" into "it was the right time to make a move."  With little to change Gillis's opinion between now and the opening of training camp, it is perhaps unlikely that Vigneault is fired, and more likely that he'll be on a short leash in October, but you never know.  If he becomes available before a new Coach is named in Montreal, he skyrockets to the top of the candidate list.