The Montreal Canadiens and general manager Kent Hughes have named Adam Nicholas as the director of hockey development on Friday.
The Canadiens have hired Adam Nicholas as director, hockey development.#GoHabsGohttps://t.co/Ev6UWqyd4u
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) March 4, 2022
The hiring was first reported last weekend by Sportsnet’s Eric Engels.
Habs making a big move in player development. Expect that at some point over the next week they’ll announce they’re hiring skills guru Adam Nicholas, who currently works with the Leafs and has worked with several high-profile NHLers. Sources say this is a great get for MTL.
— Eric Engels (@EricEngels) February 26, 2022
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.
The hiring is a new position for the Canadiens, who have not had specific skills coaches within the organization. Nicholas is the first hiring in this department that will very likely grow even larger under Canadiens executive vice president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton and Hughes.
They have both said that they are looking to modernize the Canadiens organization.
