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Bench Warmer
Montreal Canadiens general manager Bob Gainey made a bold move on Monday to stop the roller coaster ride that has been Montreal's season.
He fired coach Guy Carbonneau and took over behind the bench, effective immediately.
Carbonneau, 38, was in his third season as Canadiens coach. With a 35-24-7 record, Montreal is in fifth place in the Eastern Conference but only two points ahead of the ninth-place Hurricanes.
The Canadiens' season has been marked by a series of ups and downs. They've won five of seven, but they lost seven of eight before that. They won five of six in the beginning of January, only to lose four in a row.
Carbonneau took the Habs to the conference semifinals last season where they lost to the Flyers 4-1. Montreal didn't make the playoffs in 2006-07.
Carbonneau and Gainey were former Canadiens teammates. Carbonneau played the first 13 years of his career in Montreal and won two Stanley Cups.
Gainey has been the Habs GM since 2003. The Hall of Famer spent his entire playing career with the Canadiens (1973-89) and won five Stanley Cups. He started his coaching career with the Minnesota North Stars and oversaw their move to Dallas as both coach and general manager.
Associate coach Doug Jarvis, along with assistant coaches Kirk Muller and Roland Melanson will remain on Gainey's coaching staff.
He fired coach Guy Carbonneau and took over behind the bench, effective immediately.
Carbonneau, 38, was in his third season as Canadiens coach. With a 35-24-7 record, Montreal is in fifth place in the Eastern Conference but only two points ahead of the ninth-place Hurricanes.
The Canadiens' season has been marked by a series of ups and downs. They've won five of seven, but they lost seven of eight before that. They won five of six in the beginning of January, only to lose four in a row.
Carbonneau took the Habs to the conference semifinals last season where they lost to the Flyers 4-1. Montreal didn't make the playoffs in 2006-07.
Carbonneau and Gainey were former Canadiens teammates. Carbonneau played the first 13 years of his career in Montreal and won two Stanley Cups.
Gainey has been the Habs GM since 2003. The Hall of Famer spent his entire playing career with the Canadiens (1973-89) and won five Stanley Cups. He started his coaching career with the Minnesota North Stars and oversaw their move to Dallas as both coach and general manager.
Associate coach Doug Jarvis, along with assistant coaches Kirk Muller and Roland Melanson will remain on Gainey's coaching staff.
