Montreal Canadiens
Jun 1, 2009, 1:30 PM EDT
PRESS RELEASE

MONTREAL –Canadiens’ General Manager Bob Gainey announced Monday the appointment of Jacques Martin as the Club’s new head coach. The St. Pascal, Ontario native was the Florida Panthers’ General Manager for the last three seasons (2006 to 2009) while assuming the duties of head coach with the Panthers from 2004 to 2008. Martin, who signed a multi-year agreement with the Canadiens, has 20 years of experience at the NHL level, including 15 seasons as head coach.

Jacques Martin first joined the Panthers’ organization in May 2004 as head coach. In three seasons behind the bench, he posted a 110-100-36 mark and stands as the club’s all-time leader in games coached (246) and wins (110). On November 2, 2006, Martin became only the 13th head coach in NHL history to record 450 wins and a few months later, on March 3, 2007, he became the 12th coach in NHL history to coach in his 1,000th game. He currently ranks 10th on the NHL all-time list for games coached (1,098) and also ranks 10th in wins (517).

Midway through the 1995-96 season, Jacques Martin was hired as head coach of the Ottawa Senators. In his 9-year tenure with the Senators, he led his team to three division titles and had four seasons of at least 100 points. In 2002-03, following a 113-point season and the best record in the Eastern Conference, he guided the Senators to the Conference Finals in a 7-game series against the New Jersey Devils.

As coach of the Ottawa Senators, Martin posted a 341-255-96 regular season record. He stands as the franchise’s all-time leader in games coached (692), regular-season wins (341), playoff games (69) and playoff wins (31). Martin has been nominated for the Jack Adams Trophy as NHL Coach of the Year four times (1997, 1999, 2001, 2003) winning the award in 1999.

Jacques Martin also has extensive experience on the international level serving as an associate coach on Team Canada’s hockey team for the last two Winter Olympics (Salt Lake City and Turin), earning a gold medal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games. He was also a member of the Canadian Team coaching staff at the 2004 World Cup.

In 1986-87, Martin entered the NHL as head coach of the St. Louis Blues leading them to the playoffs on each of his two seasons. From 1988 to 1993, Martin successively worked as an assistant coach with the Chicago Blackhawks and associate coach with the Quebec Nordiques and, following a one-year stint as head coach of the AHL’s Cornwall Aces, with the Colorado Avalanche.

Jacques Martin began his coaching career in major junior hockey with the OHL’s Peterborough Petes as an assistant to Dick Todd from 1982 to 1984. He then moved on to become Guelph’s head coach in 1985-86 season leading the Platers to the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL champions and to the Memorial Cup. His achievements earned him the Matt Leyden Trophy as Ontario Hockey League Coach of the Year.

Before embracing a coaching career at the minor league level, Jacques Martin was a goaltender with the NCAA”s St. Lawrence University from 1972 to 1974.