Jacques Martin is returning to the NHL.
The former head coach of the Montreal Canadiens has landed a new job on the Pittsburgh Penguins’ coaching staff, as first reported by TVA Sports’ Louis Jean:
“I’m excited to be back in the NHL especially with a team like the Penguins,” Martin told Jean Friday. “This is a great opportunity to win the Stanley Cup and be reunited with GM Ray Shero.”
The Canadiens fired Martin in December 2011, when the struggling club got off to a horrible start to its 2011-12 campaign; the team would end up finishing last in the Eastern Conference that season.
Martin, who will celebrate his 61st birthday when the puck drops on the 2013-14 season, has more than 600 NHL career victories to his credit.
“I know we’re all going to benefit from having Jacques Martin on our staff,” Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma said via press release. “It will be great to have another voice, another perspective — especially from a man of Jacques’ experience.”
Before joining the Canadiens, Martin, a Franco-Ontarian, spent five seasons coaching the Florida Panthers and before that nine seasons as head coach of Ottawa, where he left as the all-time leader in regular-season wins (341), playoff wins (31) and games (692). Known for his defence-first philosophy, Martin led the Senators to their first Presidents’ Trophy in the 2002-03 season.
Penguins general manager Ray Shero, who hired Martin, served as an assistant GM for the Senators from 1993 to 1998.
Martin also won the NHL coach of the year in 1998-99 and was part of Team Canada’s gold medal triumph at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Winter Games.
(with files from CP)
