Canadiens Hire Juniors Coach

Alain Vigneault, a successful juniors coach and former Ottawa Senators assistant, was hired for one of hockey’s most prestigious jobs - coach of the Montreal Canadiens.

He signed a three-year contract and succeeds Mario Tremblay, who resigned days after the Canadiens were eliminated in the first round of the NHL playoffs.

Vigneault, 36, played parts of two seasons as a defenseman for the St. Louis Blues in the early 1980s. His hiring as the 25th coach in the history of the Canadiens had been expected all weekend.

One of Vigneault’s assistants will be Dave King, former coach of the Calgary Flames and Canadian national team. Vigneault and King received three-year contracts.