Pascal Vincent
{{Short description|Canadian ice hockey coach and player}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2015}}
{{Infobox ice hockey player
| image =
| image_size = 225px
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|09|22}}
| birth_place = Laval, Quebec, Canada
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 11
| weight_lb = 185
| position = Centre
| shoots = Right
| played_for = Knoxville Cherokees
| league_coach =
| team_coach =
| coached_for = Columbus Blue Jackets
| draft = Undrafted
| career_start = 1988
| career_end = 1993
| career_start_coach = 1994
| career_end_coach =
}}
Pascal Vincent (born September 22, 1971) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player who currently serves as the head coach for the Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League (AHL). He is a two-time recipient of the Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award as outstanding AHL coach, having won the award for the 2017–18 and 2024–25 seasons.
After success in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), where he was named both general manager of the year and coach of the year while overseeing the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, Vincent joined the NHL's Winnipeg Jets organization as an assistant coach in 2011, before taking over their AHL affiliate Manitoba Moose from 2016 to 2021. After two years as an assistant coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets, he was named their head coach prior to the start of the 2023–24 season when coach Mike Babcock resigned, but was subsequently fired at season's end, having finished last in the Metropolitan Division.
Playing career
Vincent made his Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) debut as a centre in the 1988–89 season with the St. Jean Castors. He played three additional seasons in the QMJHL between St. Jean, the Laval Titan, Verdun Collège Français, and the Granby Bisons before completing his junior career in 1992. Vincent then played a single season in the ECHL with the Knoxville Cherokees before retiring from active play following the 1992–93 ECHL season.{{cite web|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=5583|title=Pascal Vincent (b. 1971)|website=HockeyDB|access-date=July 16, 2024}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4943413/2023/10/11/pascal-vincent-blue-jackets-opener/|title=It’s not ‘Dr. Pascal Vincent,’ but it’s the opportunity of a lifetime for Blue Jackets’ new boss|date=October 11, 2023|work=The Athletic|last1=Portzline|first1=Aaron|access-date=July 16, 2024}}
Coaching and executive career
Vincent began his coaching career as an assistant coach of the Saint-Jean Lynx of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), and then as the head coach of the Laval-Laurentides-Lanaudiere (LLL) Regents of the Quebec AAA Midget Hockey League (QMAAA). Vincent originally joined the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles as an assistant coach for the 1999–2000 QMJHL season before becoming head coach shortly thereafter.{{cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/screaming-eagles-coach-let-go-1.174919 |title=Screaming Eagles coach let go|work=CBC News|date=October 12, 1999|access-date=July 16, 2024}} He then assumed the role as the team's general manager in 2001.{{cite web |url=https://insidetherink.com/the-pascal-vincent-era-begins/|title=The Pascal Vincent Era Begins|last1=Paul|first1=Jeremy|website=Inside The Rink|date=September 20, 2023|access-date=July 16, 2024}}
Vincent was the recipient of the 2007 Maurice Filion Trophy as the QMJHL's top general manager, and the 2008 Ron Lapointe Trophy as the league's top coach.{{cite web| url = https://www.capebretonpost.com/sports/local-sports/manitoba-moose-coach-pascal-vincent-credits-cape-breton-for-helping-him-reach-professional-hockey-390304/| title = Manitoba Moose coach Pascal Vincent credits Cape Breton for helping him reach professional hockey|last1=Fraser|first1=Jeremy|date=December 19, 2019|work=SaltWire}} Following the 2007–08 QMJHL season, he joined the recently relocated Montreal Junior Hockey Club as head coach and general manager.{{cite web|url=https://chl.ca/lhjmq/en/vincent-heads-to-montreal/|title=Vincent heads to Montreal|website=CHL.ca|date=May 1, 2008|access-date=July 16, 2024}}
On July 22, 2011, Vincent was named an assistant coach of the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL). After five years in that role, the Jets promoted him to head coach of their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Manitoba Moose in 2016.{{cite web| url = http://www.winnipegsun.com/2016/05/26/vincent-to-take-over-moose| title = Vincent to take over Moose|newspaper=Winnipeg Sun|last1=Wiebe|first1=Ken|date=May 26, 2016}} At the conclusion of the 2017–18 AHL season, he won the Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award as Most Outstanding Coach.{{cite web |url=https://theahl.com/vincent-top-coach-honors-2017-18 |title=MOOSE'S VINCENT EARNS TOP COACH HONORS FOR 2017-18 |website=TheAHL.com |date=April 9, 2018}} Vincent stepped down from his position with the Moose to join the coaching staff of the Columbus Blue Jackets on June 24, 2021.{{cite news |url=https://theathletic.com/2672076/2021/06/24/pascal-vincent-leaving-winnipeg-to-become-blue-jackets-assistant-coach-under-brad-larsen-report/ |title=Pascal Vincent leaving Winnipeg to become Blue Jackets associate coach under Brad Larsen: report |date=June 24, 2021|work=The Athletic|last1=Portzline|first1=Aaron}}
On September 17, 2023, Vincent was named head coach of the Blue Jackets, following the preseason resignation of Mike Babcock.{{cite web |url=https://www.nhl.com/bluejackets/news/mike-babcock-resigns-blue-jackets-name-pascal-vincent-head-coach |title=Mike Babcock resigns as head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets; Club names Pascal Vincent head coach |publisher=Columbus Blue Jackets|via=NHL.com |date=September 17, 2023 |access-date=September 17, 2023}} After only one season as head coach, he was fired on June 17, 2024.{{cite web |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/columbus-blue-jackets-fire-coach-pascal-vincent |title=Vincent fired as Blue Jackets coach, no replacement named|website=NHL.com |date=June 17, 2024 |access-date=June 17, 2024}}
On July 16, 2024, Vincent was named head coach of his hometown Laval Rocket, the AHL affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens.{{Cite web |date=July 16, 2024 |title=Laval Rocket Hire Pascal Vincent as Head Coach|url=https://thehockeynews.com/ahl/latest-news/laval-rocket-hire-pascal-vincent-as-head-coach|last1=McGoey|first1=Steven|access-date=July 16, 2024 |work=The Hockey News}} His impact on the team was instantaneous, with the Rocket posting a franchise record seven consecutive wins to begin the 2024–25 season.{{cite tweet|user=RocketLaval|number=1852868997756157969|date=November 2, 2024|title=🚀🚀}} He was inducted into the Laval Hockey Hall of Fame in November 2024.{{cite web |url=https://www.rocketlaval.com/en/news-en/pascal-vincent-inducted-into-the-laval-hockey-hall-of-fame/|title=Pascal Vincent inducted into the Laval Hockey Hall of Fame|publisher=Laval Rocket|last= Vézina|first=Justin|date=November 28, 2024 |access-date=November 29, 2024}} The Rocket would have the best season in franchise history to date, winning the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy as AHL regular season champions for the first time.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rocketlaval.com/en/press-release/kilpatrick-trophy-champion/|title=The Rocket crowned regular-season champions|date=April 18, 2025|access-date=April 19, 2025|publisher=Laval Rocket}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/onsi/breakaway/news-feed-page/montreal-canadiens-laval-rocket-earns-impressive-achievement|title=Canadiens' AHL Affiliate Earns Impressive Achievement|last=Punturi|first=Jacob|website=Sports Illustrated|date=April 19, 2025|access-date=April 19, 2025}} In recognition of his work, Vincent received his second Pieri Award as AHL coach of the year.{{cite web |url=https://theahl.com/news/vincent-rocket-outstanding-coach-pieri-award|title=Vincent selected as AHL’s outstanding coach for 2024-25|website=TheAHL.com|date=April 21, 2025 |access-date=April 21, 2025}}
Career statistics
| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em;" | ||||||||
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! colspan="5"|Regular season ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! colspan="5"|Playoffs | ||||||||
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! Season ! Team ! League ! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM | ||||||||
| 1988–89
| QMJHL | 48 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
| — | — | — | — | — |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1989–90 | QMJHL | 70 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 45
| — | — | — | — | — |
| 1990–91
| QMJHL | 64 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 12
| 13 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1991–92 | Laval Titan | QMJHL | 53 | 3 | 20 | 23 | 36
| — | — | — | — | — |
| 1991–92
| QMJHL | 17 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 12
| 19 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 14 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 1992–93 | QMJHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
| — | — | — | — | — |
| 1992–93
| ECHL | 57 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 33
| — | — | — | — | — |
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3"|QMJHL totals ! 254 !! 16 !! 42 !! 58 !! 105 ! 32 !! 2 !! 6 !! 8 !! 22 | ||||||||
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3"|ECHL totals ! 57 !! 4 !! 7 !! 11 !! 33 ! — !! — !! — !! — !! — |
Head coaching record
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center;" | ||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Team | rowspan="2"|Year | colspan="6"|Regular season | colspan="4"|Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | L | OTL | Pts | Finish | W | L | Win % | Result | |
| CBJ | 2023–24
| 82 || 27 || 43 || 12 || 66 || 8th in Metropolitan || — || — || — || Missed playoffs | |||||||||
| colspan="2"|Total | 82 | 27 | 43 | 12 | — | — | — |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Ice hockey stats}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-ach}}
{{succession box | before = Ted Nolan | title = Maurice Filion Trophy | years = 2006–07 | after = Jacques Beaulieu}}
{{succession box | before = Clément Jodoin | title = Ron Lapointe Trophy | years = 2007–08 | after = Danny Flynn}}
{{succession box | before = Roy Sommer
Todd Nelson | title = Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award | years = 2017–18
2024–25 | after = Mike Vellucci
Most recent}}
{{s-sports}}
{{succession box | before = Keith McCambridge | title = Head coach of the Manitoba Moose | years = 2016–2021 | after = Mark Morrison}}
{{succession box | before = Mike Babcock | title = Head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets | years = 2023–2024| after = Dean Evason}}
{{succession box | before = Jean-François Houle | title = Head coach of the Laval Rocket | years = 2024–present| after = Incumbent}}
{{s-end}}
{{Laval Rocket}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vincent, Pascal}}
Category:Canadian ice hockey centres
Category:Canadian ice hockey coaches
Category:Cape Breton Screaming Eagles coaches
Category:Columbus Blue Jackets coaches
Category:Ice hockey people from Laval, Quebec
Category:Manitoba Moose coaches