INTERNATIONAL BACKGROUND

This marks his first international experience with Canada

HOCKEY BACKGROUND

Was head coach of the Minnesota Wild from 2000-09 … Led Minnesota to the Western Conference Final in 2003 … Was head coach of the New Jersey Devils from 1993-98 … His time in New Jersey was highlighted by a Stanley Cup in 1995 … His NHL coaching career began in 1983-84 when he was an assistant, and later head coach, of the Montreal Canadiens … Coached the QMJHL’s Longueuil Chevaliers in 1982-83 … Started coaching in 1979-80 with Sierre in Switzerland … A two-time winner of the Jack Adams Award as the
NHL’s coach of the year (1993, 2004) … Spent his entire 12-year playing career with the Montreal Canadiens … Won the Stanley Cup eight times (1968, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979) as a player … One of six players to have scored two Stanley Cup-winning
goals, having done it in 1977 and 1979 … In 853 NHL games, recorded 835 points … Finished among the top ten scorers in the NHL on three occasions (1972, 1973, 1978) … Scored at least 20 goals in each of his 12 seasons … Won two Stanley Cups as assistant general manager in Montreal in 1986 and 1993 … Professional playing career started in 1966-67 with the Houston Apollos of the Central Professional Hockey League … Played junior hockey with the Montreal Junior Canadiens of the OHA (1963-66) … Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984

PERSONAL

He and his wife Mychele have three children: sons Patrice and Danyk and daughter Magalie … They also have four grandchildren: Jeremy, Xavier, Zachary and Emma … There is a hockey arena named after him in LaSalle, Que. … Born on September 7, 1945 in LaSalle, Que.