Ottawa Senators to interview Patrick Roy for head coaching job
The Ottawa Senators continue to search for a new head coach and now one of the greatest goaltenders in NHL history appears to be in the running.
Reports have emerged that suggest the Ottawa Senators will interview former Colorado Avalanche head coach Patrick Roy for their own vacancy.
Roy, a four-time Stanley Cup champion and three-time Vezina Trophy winner during his Hall of Fame playing career, is currently the head coach of Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL.
In his first, and currently only, season coaching junior hockey, Roy led the Remparts to the playoffs with a 27-28-7 record – seeing the team knocked out in the first round in a seven-game series.
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But it’s Roy’s time as a coach in the NHL that has the Senators considering him, with the 53-year-old Quebec native also reportedly interested in making a return to the big league.
Roy’s first season as a head coach in the NHL was spectacular – with the Colorado Avalanche earning 112 points with a 52-22-8 record, seeing the former goalie win the Jack Adams Trophy as the best coach in the league that year.
Nathan MacKinnon won the Calder Memorial Trophy that season after earning 24 goals and 63 points – helping lead the Avs to a Central Division title.
Despite the storming regular season, Roy’s Colorado team were unable to get past the first round – dropping a two-game lead before eventually losing a seven-game series against the Minnesota Wild.
Two playoff-less seasons followed but Roy held a record of 130-92-24 at the time he departed the rocky mountains, spending time away from the game before taking over bench duties for the Remparts – a team he once owned.
Roy would certainly bring with him a star factor that some other head coaching candidates wouldn’t and he has proven to be fairly successful during his very brief time behind the bench in the NHL.
His experience working with players in junior could also benefit him with regards to the Ottawa Senators, who will have a very young roster over the next couple of seasons.
This would take the pressure of winning the cup away in the short-term and would allow Roy, who also served as the Avalanche’s Vice President of Hockey Operations, to build a team in his own image.
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What do you think Sens fans? Would you be happy to see Patrick Roy behind the bench? Which of the other candidates would you prefer if not? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!