Jacques Martin Habs New Coach
by Robert L on Jun 1, 2009 1:19 PM EDT
Email
Print
What was hinted at yesterday by Sportsnet, and this morning at Habs Inside Out and the Gazette, is now coming to fruition. At 2 P.M. to day, Canadiens GM Bob Gainey will announce Jacques Martin as the team's new head coach.
Didn't see this coming? Don't feel bad, you're in with the majority of Canadiens fans who were expecting perhaps a more spectacular unveiling. Martin is a demanding, defense first coach, with a strategy founded in the trap system. A Peterborough Pete alumni, Martin is on his sixth NHL stop after various positions in St. Louis, Chicago, the Nordiques organization, the Ottawa Senators where his greatest successes were, and most recently in Florida, where he was the team's GM following a two year stint as coach. While he most definitely fills the requirement for an experienced bench boss , there are both upsides and downsides to this hiring as I see it. First and foremost, Martin does not seem to suit the Canadiens prefered style of exciting offensive hockey. Perhaps this is asign that the Canadiens will not have the same look next season due to their myriad free agency issues. Then again, maybe they will be targeting Jay Bowmeester? Additionally, Martin, who has a reputation as a solid teacher, is reputed to be somewhat of a dry communicator, fitting right in with the mold of Gainey and Pierre Gauthier who hired him in Ottawa. Martin will be rejoining both Gauthier, and former Ottawa scouts Trevor Timmins and Frank Jay in the Habs organization. The french media will love the guy, until they start having trouble getting colourful quotes from him. We are now about an hour or so away from hearing Martin profess that coaching the Canadiens have been his life long dream job. Possibly, the Canadiens were thinking that the last time they hired a former Jack Adams trophy winner named Jacques, things went well.
I will have more on this later today, after the press conference, which you can see here from RDS.
Below are Martin's career stats, beginning with his time as a goaltender with the NCAA St. Lawrence Saints. I'll be sure to dig up a few tales wfrom his days behind the Cornwall Aces bench.
17 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Oh yeah, as per the “maybe targeting Bouwmeester” thing… don’t forget, two former Martin coached players are also prominent UFAs… Marian Hossa and Martin Havlat.
Hockey blogging can't get any flatter.
Well, I expect Montreal to be targeting Bouwmeester along with 29 other teams in the NHL.
Ultimately, Martin enters an intriguing situation as the sheer number of UFAs the Canadiens have will almost mean a brand new team. Basically, it can be his right from the get-go. With respect to style of coaching, in Devils-Florida games in this past season, I noticed that the Panthers definitely were aggressive. Not necessarily offensive as you say, but I wouldn’t expect next year’s Canadiens team to wilt against teams either.
Though, Whale4ever can correct me on that expectation.
Devils in my heart! Devils in my mind! Devils in my eyes! Devils until I die!
In Lou We Trust - The Devils SBN Blog
Jay Bo
story is that Jay Bo wouldn’t sign in Florida because of Martin so of all that Jacques may bring to the table an in with JB isn’t on that list….as for the rest I’m intrigued by what he said in his interviews and press conference…at least the young guys will have definitive roles and structure. further they will be spending less “free time on the streets” chasing the good life
Bouwmeester is a pretty quiet character and seems to like the anonymity of Miami. From all that I have read he seems reluctant to come to Toronto let alone Montreal.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
I don’t know if he does like that anonymity. He is a quiet guy, but he’s getting outta dodge as soon as he possibly could in Miami, and has made it known for a long time that he will. I think he might be best suited for a good hockey market in the West, to be honest. Minnesota might be his kind of place.
Hockey blogging can't get any flatter.
The only quote from Bowmeester in that sense was when he said he wanted to play in a “hockey market”. That rules out Ottawa!
Actually, if Philly didn’t have such huge cap issues, I think they’d be the frontrunners. Same goes with Boston and the Rangers.
Hockey blogging can't get any flatter.
David Booth
Just going to drop a name that Team 990 floated as a possible RFA that might follow Jacques Martin to Montreal.
Demers stating that players like Tanguay and Kovalev will want to play in MOntreal now because Martin will bring discipline to the team.
Tanguay and Koivu I agree on. Kovalev…not so sure.
But please, we just got Patrick Roy to come “home”. Don’t scare him away by bringing back Mr. Tremblay, in any form!
I don’t put a whole lot of weight into that Tremblay rumour, unless it is attached to Lemaire’s decision to come to Montreal. If Coco has had Bob’s ear of late, he may just have put in a kind word for an out of work pal. As far as assistants, didn’t Martin always have Craig Ramsey as his shadow. Is he still signed and in Philly?
Ramsey/Don Lever
Yes they were talking about Ramsey as well as a possible. As well as Phil Myre (another Martin pal) as goalie coach.
Wonder what Don Lever’s fate is from all this??
by yathehabsrule on Jun 1, 2009 6:34 PM EDT up reply actions
I think they will be pulling the switch on Lever!
Myre is certainly Martin’s guy, but we need to find someone who is right for Price.
I see a headline there… so and so is Right For Price!
Assistants
Perry Pearn of Ottawa days is a possibility and Francois Allaire has asked out of his Anaheim contract (done in July) to talk to teams in east…..not sure the Dogs in St John’s need that much help :)….goalie coach in Calgary has been let go and is another possibility…Lever is not dead yet…highly regarded by NHL teams and they may have to make him assistant to keep him as opposed to head coach in Hamilton….would be nice to get a coach for the D !
I hear a lot of whine about giving Komisarek more than $4 mille per….anyone feel Hamrlik at $5.5 is value ?
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
