Odds on Who Will Be the Next Head Coach of the Montreal Canadiens

• Guy Boucher is the +200 favorite to be the next head coach of the Montreal Canadiens
• Current Habs interim coach Dominique Ducharme is the second betting choice at +300
• The list of candidates includes former Montreal head coaches Guy Carbonneau and Mario Tremblay

Is Guy Boucher the guy that the Montreal Canadiens have set their sights on to be the next head coach of the team? Oddsmakers are of that opinion.

Boucher, formerly the head coach of the Tampa Bay Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators, is the +200 favorite in a prop offering odds on the identity of the next coach of the Habs.

Dominque Ducharme, currently the interim head coach of the Canadiens, is showing as the second betting choice at odds of +300. Legendary former Habs goalie Patrick Roy is another intriguing contender at +550.

Montreal Canadiens Next Head Coach Odds

Odds as of Feb. 25th.

The Canadiens, who are situated fourth in the NHL’s North Division, fired head coach Claude Julien on Wednesday.

Is Guy Boucher the Right Fit?

There was a time when Boucher was appearing to be the heir apparent to the Canadiens job. He was coaching their Hamilton AHL farm club in 2009-10. However, at the time, Jacques Martin was behind the Montreal bench and had just taken the team to the Stanley Cup final four.

Tampa Bay was looking for a coach and hired Boucher for the 2010-11 season. He led them to within a win of the Stanley Cup final in his first season. But the team regressed and he was fired 31 games into his third season in charge.

Mornings Hour 1 podcast:#Habs #GuyBoucher #DerekStepan #SensGameDay #WillieNylander #CanadiansNBA #Tiger https://t.co/jEAMZxoUP1https://t.co/FpxxBMQLtq pic.twitter.com/ST8epSsl5A

— TSN 1200 (@TSN1200) February 25, 2021

Joining the Ottawa Senators in 2016-17, Boucher also led the Sens to within a win of the Stanley Cup final in his first season. But the team regressed and he was fired 64 games into his third season in charge.

Anyone else noticing a pattern here?

Boucher is the ideal coach for a quick turnaround. But he’s the wrong guy to build something for the long term.

Going for Two

Speaking of patterns, Julien was on his second tour behind Montreal’s bench. In 2017 he replaced Michel Therrien, who was in his second tenure with the Habs. In 2003, Julien also replaced Therrien as Montreal’s coach.

https://twitter.com/SamMcCaig22/status/1364591250767310850?s=20

If history is to continue repeating itself, that means Guy Carbonneau is in line for the job. He followed Julien as Habs’ coach in 2006.

Other potential two timers on the odds board include current Philadelphia Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault (+3300), Jacques Martin (+10000), and Mario Tremblay (+12000).

Reclamation Projects

Montreal isn’t likely to go for another team’s castoff. Gerard Gallant was a Canadiens assistant coach but doesn’t speak French. Jim Montgomery played for the Habs, and Mike Babcock played college hockey in Montreal at McGill.

Montreal Canadiens Don't Hire Mike Babcock Challenge.

— Dan (@cultureoflosing) February 24, 2021

Again, though, there’s the language issue.

Would Roy consider coaching his old team? He’s an intriguing value play.

It’s Dominique Ducharme’s Job to Lose

Ducharme led Canada to a world junior title. He checks off all the necessary qualifications to coach in Montreal – French speaker, Quebecois.

Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin has committed to allowing Ducharme to coach the remainder of this season. If he gets Montreal to the playoffs, the Habs will lock him into the position on a full-time basis.

https://twitter.com/BrandonMaki_/status/1364586705890770944?s=20

If not? Well, if you’re Bergevin, do you really want to be looking for your fourth coach since you took over as GM?

Ownership could view that as an indication the GM doesn’t know what he’s doing.

Pick: Dominique Ducharme (+300)