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Canadiens Wrap

Candiens Wrap: Ducharme Out, St. Louis In, Marchand, Rask

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Montreal Canadiens

In what was maybe one of the busiest news days of the year for the NHL on Wednesday, the Montreal Canadiens stole the headlines.



After firing head coach Dominique Ducharme not even a full season into a four-year contract, the Habs stunned the NHL world by hiring hall of famer, Stanley Cup champion, and Laval native Marty St. Louis as their interim head coach.

South of the border, the Habs’ rivals were making some news as well. Longtime Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask announced his retirement late Wednesday afternoon and four hours later, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced that Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand had been suspended six games. 

That and more in the latest MHN Wrap:

Montreal Canadiens

After being embarrassed for a third-straight time on home ice in a 7-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils Tuesday night, the Montreal Canadiens fired head coach Dominique Ducharme Wednesday afternoon. A few hours later, new Habs general manager Kent Hughes kept his promise of going outside the box and hired hall of famer and Stanley Cup champion Marty St. Louis. St. Louis has never coached at any pro level, let alone the NHL but the Montreal Canadiens need drastic changes and in the opinion of this puck scribe, this bold move just may work out in the future.

On Wednesday night rumors that St. Louis’ former teammate and L’Île-Bizard native Vincent Lecavalier was going to be named assistant general manager of the Montreal Canadiens but Lecalvier denied those rumors.

St. Louis, Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes and executive vice president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton are scheduled to address the media at 11:30 AM ET on Thursday.

National Hockey Now

Congratulations to Tuukka Rask on an amazing career and retiring with the only team he’s ever played for, the Boston Bruins. The winningest goalie in franchise history, who won a Vezina Trophy and led his team to two Stanley Cup Finals, retired on Wednesday.

About four hours after Rask retired, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced that they had suspended Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand for six games. 

 The Washington Capitals definitely tried to acquire Chicago Blackhawks and former Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury but Pens fans can rest easy as apparently, the deal fell through.

The Philadelphia Flyers named former Flyers forward and fan-favorite Daniel Briere as their new special assistant to the GM. Briere had been rumored to be a candidate for the Montreal Canadiens general manager job before Hughes was hired.

NHL

The St. Louis Blues signed head coach Craig Berube, who led his team to the 2019 Stanley Cup over the Bruins, to a three-year extension. 

Trust me, I’m no fan of Evander Kane, but unlike Marchand, he chose a d-man over the goalie and that’s why he likely won’t face any supplemental discipline for this.