It’s crazy to me that a professional hockey team won’t look at the best people available when it comes to coaches.
That team is the Montreal Canadiens.
Once again, the Canadiens will be looking for coaches and the mandatory requirement isn’t winning a Stanley Cup or having a load of experience or being one of the top up-and-coming coaches.
Nope. The only thing that matters is that they speak French.
Get this: If Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper became available, the Canadiens are likely not to hire him.
Ten years ago the team named Randy Cunneyworth the interim head coach and there were protests and cries for boycotts. Even the Quebec culture minister spoke to the controversy.
I thought pro sports were about winning? Sure, Quebec is unique as the only French-speaking NHL market but you don’t see them cry for a francophone coach for their football team, soccer team or even when the Expos played.
Michel Therrien and Claude Julien have now done two tours of duty in Montreal. I’m not saying there aren’t talented bilingual coaches. Of course, there are. But you are doing your pro franchise a disservice by not going to find the absolute best coach available.