Pascal Vincent hired as head coach of AHL’s Laval Rocket

A former NHL head coach is staying in the professional ranks, just taking a step down.

On Tuesday, the Montreal Canadiens announced that Pascal Vincent has been hired as the new head coach of their American Hockey League affiliate, the Laval Rocket.

“With nearly 30 years of coaching experience at the QMJHL, AHL and NHL levels, Pascal brings a wealth of knowledge,” Rocket general manager John Sedgwick said in a release. “A passion for the game and a proven track record of both winning and player development. 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.”

It is a knock down the coaching ladder for Vincent. Last season, the Laval native was thrust into the head coaching job with the Columbus Blue Jackets after Mike Babcock was fired just before the season started. Unfortunately, things did not go well for the Blue Jackets. The frayed franchise struggled from the get-go, and ended up at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division with a 27-43-12 record. He was fired shortly after the 2023-24 season was over.

The 52-year-old had served the two previous seasons as an assistant in Columbus.

This will be Vincent’s second stint coaching the AHL. From 2016 to 2021, he was the head coach of the Manitoba Moose, the primary affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets. Under Vincent, the Moose went 155-139-31, making the Calder Cup Playoffs during the 2017-18 season, the year Vincent was awarded the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award as the league’s best coach.

Vincent worked with the Jets from 2011, when the Atlanta Thrashers moved to Winnipeg. He served under Claude Noel and Paul Maurice for five seasons.

Vincent cut his coaching teeth in the Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League. From 2000 to 2008, he was the head coach for the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. In the three years prior to being hired by the Jets, he was the bench boss for the Montreal Juniors.

Returning to his hometown to coach the Rocket is sort of full circle for Vincent, as he also played most of two seasons with the Laval Titan in the QMJHL from 1990 to 1992.