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Canadiens: 5 Associate Coach Candidates For Next Season

By Patrick Lortie

MONTREAL, QC - FEBRUARY 10: Newly appointed interim head coach, Martin St. Louis of the Montreal Canadiens makes his way towards the bench in his first career NHL game as a coach prior to the game against the Washington Capitals at Centre Bell on February 10, 2022 in Montreal, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - FEBRUARY 10: Newly appointed interim head coach, Martin St. Louis of the Montreal Canadiens makes his way towards the bench in his first career NHL game as a coach prior to the game against the Washington Capitals at Centre Bell on February 10, 2022 in Montreal, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FL – FEBRUARY 10: Brad Richards, right, greets Vincent Lecavalier after introducing him during the ceremony to retire his #4 by the Tampa Bay Lightning prior to the game against the Los Angeles Kings at the Amalie Arena on February 10, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL – FEBRUARY 10: Brad Richards, right, greets Vincent Lecavalier after introducing him during the ceremony to retire his #4 by the Tampa Bay Lightning prior to the game against the Los Angeles Kings at the Amalie Arena on February 10, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) /

This would definitely fit in the category of “outside the box hiring” that Jeff Gorton has talked about so much since being named Vice-President of Hockey Operations for the Montreal Canadiens.

Brad Richards has been linked to the Montreal Canadiens in some capacity ever since Vincent Lecavalier was officially brought in as a consultant. Lecavalier even “joked” that Richards would be a great fit for the team in an interview.

https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1494792041066377216?s=20&t=MoCI6wDYGgreZ6rTLti67Q

Richards isn’t without experience though. After a career that saw him lift the Stanley Cup, a Conn Smythe and Lady Byng trophy in 2004, which ultimately paved the way towards the Hall of Fame, Richards was hired as a consultant for the Hockey Operations department for the New York Rangers by, you guessed it, Jeff Gorton.

The rumors of seeing Brad Richards join the Montreal Canadiens have run rampant since the hiring of St. Louis and Lecavalier but more so after he repeatedly refused interview requests from the media, only adding fuel to speculations. Both fans and media speculate he will likely land either an Assistant GM job or maybe even be asked to run the Player Development program. However, Richards has constantly been touted as someone with extremely intelligent hockey knowledge, much like St. Louis, and it wouldn’t come as a shock to me to see him named Associate Coach alongside his former Stanley Cup partner.

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