Notes: Alain Vigneault, 47, is the 16th Head Coach in Vancouver Canucks history and has served two seasons with the club since being named to the position on June 20, 2006. In his time with the Canucks Vigneault has built a regular season record of 88-59-17 and a .588 win percentage, the most successful winning percentage of any coach in team history.
In his first year as Canucks Head Coach, Vigneault led the team to their most successful regular season to date; establishing new franchise records for wins (49) and points (105), on the way to a Northwest Division Championship and Vancouver’s first appearance in the playoffs since the 2003-04 season. In recognition of these significant achievements, Vigneault was presented with the Jack Adams Award as NHL Coach of the Year at the 2007 NHL Awards in Toronto.
Vigneault previously served as Head Coach of the Montreal Canadiens from 1997-2001, becoming the organization’s second youngest coach in club history at the age of 36. He had compiled an NHL record of 109-118-35-4, reaching the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals during his first season behind the Canadiens bench and was nominated for the Jack Adams Award, following the 1999-2000 season.
Vigneault joined Vancouver from the club’s AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, where he led the team to within one game of the conference finals. In the 2005-06 season, his first season as Head Coach with the Moose, Vigneault guided the club to a 44-24-7 record.
Prior to joining the Moose, Vigneault spent 10 seasons as Head Coach in the QMJHL with Trois-Rivieres, Hull, Beauport and PEI. In 1988, Vigneault led the Olympiques into the Memorial Cup and was subsequently named CHL Coach of the Year. He has also been honoured as coach of the QMJHL’s Second All-Star team on three separate occasions.
Vigneault has also achieved success on the international stage. He served as an Assistant Coach with Canada’s National Junior Team in 1989 and 1991, winning a gold medal at the 1991 World Junior Championships in Saskatoon.
The Quebec-native began his career in the NHL playing for the St. Louis Blues from 1981 to 1983. Drafted by the Blues in the eighth round, 167th overall in the 1981 Draft, the defenceman recorded two goals, five assists and 82 penalty minutes in his NHL career. Vigneault went on to serve as a scout for the Blues for two seasons and as an Assistant Coach for the Ottawa Senators from 1992 to 1996.
|