Laval Rocket Hire Pascal Vincent As New Head Coach

The Laval Rocket were left to find a new head coach after Jean-Francois Houle left the team to take the job at his alma mater Clarkson University. It was short notice for Laval to find a replacement, but they hit a home run by hiring Pascal Vincent. Vincent is a former head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets and also spent a long time in the QMJHL where he learned the trade of developing young talent.

The Columbus Blue Jackets promoted Vincent to head coach after they fired Mike Babcock last season. Vincent led the team to a 27-43-12 season. The Blue Jackets fired Vincent in June, but he returned to Quebec to take the Laval job instead of taking some time off.

“The Montreal Canadiens organization is proud to welcome Pascal Vincent as the new head coach of the Laval Rocket. With nearly 30 years of coaching experience at the QMJHL, AHL and NHL levels, Pascal brings a wealth of knowledge, a passion for the game, and a proven track record of both winning and player development,” Rocket general manager John Sedgwick said in a release. “His strong values, collaborative mindset, and tireless work ethic make him a great fit for our organization and the ideal person to work with our talented group of young players.

Pascal Vincent seems ready to develop the young talent in Laval. In a media interview after the hiring, Vincent said, "The goal is to win the Stanley Cup. If in the meantime we win a Calder Cup in Laval, great. The goal is how we prepare our players to become contributors to the Montreal Canadiens."