Patrick Williams, TheAHL.com Features Writer
Thirty years after starting his coaching career, Pascal Vincent is coming home.
The Montreal Canadiens named Vincent the new head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket, last week. His latest challenge is both something new and something familiar.
“I grew up 10 minutes from Place Bell,” Vincent said. “I played my minor hockey in Laval. It’s been a long time since I left home. To come back to Montreal, to come back to Laval, it’s a privilege.”
Vincent’s return to Laval is also a return to the American Hockey League, where he spent five seasons as head coach of the Manitoba Moose from 2016 to 2021. He won the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award as the AHL’s outstanding coach in 2017-18.
The 52-year-old Vincent is coming off his first head-coaching job in the NHL. He led the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023-24 after two seasons as the club’s associate coach. He also possesses five seasons of experience as an NHL assistant with the Winnipeg Jets in addition to 17 years of major junior and U-18 minor hockey coaching experience in Quebec.
The process to bring Vincent into the Montreal organization moved quickly following the June 21 departure of J.F. Houle, who left to become the new men’s hockey coach at his alma mater, Clarkson University, after three seasons as head coach of the Rocket. Vincent met with a group that included Canadiens executive vice president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton, general manager Kent Hughes, assistant GM John Sedgwick, head coach Martin St. Louis, and special advisor Vincent Lecavalier, among others.
Vincent was left impressed with the clarity that the organization has in terms of its development philosophy.
“The clarity of their vision and what they want to do, it was crystal-clear what the job is,” Vincent said. “I just really like their vision. I felt, ‘OK, those guys have a plan.’ They know how to achieve what they want to achieve, or they know the steps that are needed to be taken. That really impressed me.”
He also got to know St. Louis better. Vincent stressed that the Rocket will adhere as closely to the Canadiens’ systems as possible. In recent years, Montreal has amassed a promising group of young prospects. Defenseman Logan Mailloux, a 2023-24 AHL All-Rookie Team member, and forward Joshua Roy had excellent first pro seasons and could be positioned to earn full-time NHL roles. If not, their development in Laval will be crucial. The organization’s young developing blueliners also include Adam Engstrom and David Reinbacher. Up front, Owen Beck, Sean Farrell, Emil Heineman, Oliver Kapanen, Riley Kidney, Filip Mesar and Florian Xhekaj represent some of the organization’s youth who could be with the Rocket.
Preparing those players to eventually contribute to the Canadiens will be Vincent’s mission, and a significant part of the rebuilding project.
“I know what it takes to be in the AHL,” Vincent said. “I’m going to sit down and listen to the vision and their plans, and we’re going to try to execute them.”
Vincent has been on both sides of the relationship between an NHL and AHL head coach. In Manitoba, he worked with the Jets’ Paul Maurice, a relationship that enabled collaboration up and down both coaching staffs so that player needs were met regardless of position. This past season brought a chance to work in partnership with Cleveland Monsters head coach Trent Vogelhuber, and Vincent learned the relationship from the NHL perspective.
“I think it’s huge,” Vincent said. “At the end of the day, the goal is how can we create an environment where the players will benefit from it. I think the relationship between the two teams, I see it as one big coaching staff, the Montreal Canadiens and the Laval Rocket. Making sure we’re on the same page. Push each other. Obviously ask questions. But at the end of the day, they make the decisions, and our job is to execute the plan, and I’m on board 100 percent.”
Vincent grew up as a fan cheering on the Habs and his favorite player, Guy Lafleur. He has been a visiting coach at both Laval’s Place Bell and Montreal’s Bell Centre, and the Rocket’s home made an impression.
“The crowd, I felt that I was at the Bell Centre,” Vincent said.
As he returns home, Vincent is excited to be part of the storied Canadiens organization.
“When you come from the province of Quebec, you have the bleu-blanc-rouge in your blood,” Vincent said. “I’m really happy to be part of the family now.”
TheAHL.com features writer Patrick Williams has been on the American Hockey League beat for nearly two decades for outlets including NHL.com, Sportsnet, TSN, The Hockey News, SiriusXM NHL Network Radio and SLAM! Sports, and was most recently the co-host of The Hockey News On The ‘A’ podcast. He was the recipient of the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for his outstanding coverage of the league in 2016.