Last week we reported that the Montreal Canadiens were on the verge of hiring highly touted skills coach Adam Nicholas. Everything was officialized on Friday as the team introduced Nicholas as their new Director of Hockey Development.
The Canadiens have hired Adam Nicholas as director, hockey development.#GoHabsGohttps://t.co/Ev6UWqyd4u
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) March 4, 2022
As per canadiens.com, Nicholas joins the Canadiens after working with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a skills development consultant since 2019. He also held a similar role with the Chicago Steel in the USHL from 2019 to 2022, as well as with UMass-Lowell in the NCAA from 2013 to 2018.
Nicholas is also the founder and owner of Stride Envy, a company that specializes in player skill development, specifically skating techniques.
Rob Ramage remains Director of Player Development and will be working side by side with Nicholas in the proper development of players of all level and experience. The Canadiens have come under heavy criticism from younger players over the years for their lack of support when trying to make the NHL ranks.
At the moment, the canadiens.com website list only former Canadiens player Francis Bouillon as a coach in the player development department. Expect a significant increase in staff over the next months leading into the summer, a dedication promised by VP Jeff Gorton at the moment of his hiring.
Along with interim head coach Martin. St. Louis, the new Gorton/Hughes administration have added Chantal Machabée as Vice President of Hockey Communications, Vincent Lecavalier as Special Advisor To Hockey Operations, Nick Bobrov as Co-Director of Amateur Scouting and promoted John Sedgwick to Assistant General Manager.
Both Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes have committed, with the support of newly appointed Assistant General Manager John Sedgwick, to building an Analytics Department from the ground up. A necessary department in the modern NHL that has yet to see the day in the Montreal Canadiens’ offices.