GGpX
Well-known member
Rather straight-forward question.
My personal opinion has been the same for as long as I can remember, I'm French and I don't care what the head coach's mother tongue.
I've also always maintained this notion that the head coach has to be French is a media-created myth to help les villageois that aren't willing (or intellectually capable) to learn English. PK Subban was, and to extent probably still is, the most popular Habs player of the last 20 years. He was the guy who spoke the most often to the media and nobody ever cared that he spoke only in English. This is media-driven bullshit, lead at the forefront by the dinosaurs of the Québécois press, Réjean Tremblay and his ilk of racist scumbags. A few of 'em still work at RDS, I've overheard more than enough from some of them to have a good idea about what they think of those who aren't Québécois.
I saw in the thread that some people brought up that the Habs had to apologize for hiring Cunneyworth because he was English-speaking. Nobody brought up how The Charlatan had to apologize for putting Kirk Muller in Julien's roll temporarily last fall because they couldn't get a suitable replacement in the current situation and that they hopes people understood. If that isn't cowardice of the highest order, I don't know what is.
So, my personal preference would be:
0- Best candidate available regardless of language. (Since this'll never happen, skip to the next which is the best French-speaking coach available)
1- Pascal Vincent
Currently the head coach of Winnipeg's minor league, the Manitoba Moose. He's been in Winnipeg's organization for almost a decade, both as an assistant coach in the NHL (5 years) and as head coach in the Minors (5 years). Prior to that, has been coaching in Quebec's junior leagues since the 90s. So, tons of experience both at the junior, pros and the only experience he doesn't have is NHL head coaching.
Why I'd want him: We're a team that's built to win-now and it seems imperative to have a coach with experience. Unfortunately, the only French speaking coaches with NHL experience (Julien's here, Vigneault in Philly, Therrien was fired already and his eligibility date to come back isn't for another decade and Bob Hartley's in Russia) are either already taken or just thoroughly uninteresting to me. So Vincent's the next best thing: French speaking and tons of experience without having baggage as the guy in the NHL.
Full disclosure: When he was the coach of the Montreal Junior, I was not a fan of his. Simplistic game plans, boring team to watch, never felt he got the best out of players. Maybe he's changed since, and this was over 10 years ago, but just fyi.
2- Dominique Ducharme
Currently assistant coach in Montréal and seems to be likely successor if they were to hire internally. Has been coaching for nearly two decades, but only has three years of experience in the pros. He had done a lot good pretty much everywhere he's gone in Junior.
3- André Tourigny
Currently the head coach of the Ottawa 67s. Has about the same amount of coaching experience as Ducharme, however he isn't in the pros atm.
I'd much rather have him as assistant than head coach for now.
4- Joel Bouchard
Keep him in Laval please.
My personal opinion has been the same for as long as I can remember, I'm French and I don't care what the head coach's mother tongue.
I've also always maintained this notion that the head coach has to be French is a media-created myth to help les villageois that aren't willing (or intellectually capable) to learn English. PK Subban was, and to extent probably still is, the most popular Habs player of the last 20 years. He was the guy who spoke the most often to the media and nobody ever cared that he spoke only in English. This is media-driven bullshit, lead at the forefront by the dinosaurs of the Québécois press, Réjean Tremblay and his ilk of racist scumbags. A few of 'em still work at RDS, I've overheard more than enough from some of them to have a good idea about what they think of those who aren't Québécois.
I saw in the thread that some people brought up that the Habs had to apologize for hiring Cunneyworth because he was English-speaking. Nobody brought up how The Charlatan had to apologize for putting Kirk Muller in Julien's roll temporarily last fall because they couldn't get a suitable replacement in the current situation and that they hopes people understood. If that isn't cowardice of the highest order, I don't know what is.
So, my personal preference would be:
0- Best candidate available regardless of language. (Since this'll never happen, skip to the next which is the best French-speaking coach available)
1- Pascal Vincent
Currently the head coach of Winnipeg's minor league, the Manitoba Moose. He's been in Winnipeg's organization for almost a decade, both as an assistant coach in the NHL (5 years) and as head coach in the Minors (5 years). Prior to that, has been coaching in Quebec's junior leagues since the 90s. So, tons of experience both at the junior, pros and the only experience he doesn't have is NHL head coaching.
Why I'd want him: We're a team that's built to win-now and it seems imperative to have a coach with experience. Unfortunately, the only French speaking coaches with NHL experience (Julien's here, Vigneault in Philly, Therrien was fired already and his eligibility date to come back isn't for another decade and Bob Hartley's in Russia) are either already taken or just thoroughly uninteresting to me. So Vincent's the next best thing: French speaking and tons of experience without having baggage as the guy in the NHL.
Full disclosure: When he was the coach of the Montreal Junior, I was not a fan of his. Simplistic game plans, boring team to watch, never felt he got the best out of players. Maybe he's changed since, and this was over 10 years ago, but just fyi.
2- Dominique Ducharme
Currently assistant coach in Montréal and seems to be likely successor if they were to hire internally. Has been coaching for nearly two decades, but only has three years of experience in the pros. He had done a lot good pretty much everywhere he's gone in Junior.
3- André Tourigny
Currently the head coach of the Ottawa 67s. Has about the same amount of coaching experience as Ducharme, however he isn't in the pros atm.
I'd much rather have him as assistant than head coach for now.
4- Joel Bouchard
Keep him in Laval please.
