Daniel Jacob hopes to pick up where Pascal Vincent left off. Vincent coached the Laval Rocket for two seasons and led them to the best record in the North Division before joining the Seattle Kraken bench. That’s a high standard to live up to. Jacob hopes to do so. The 45-year-old assistant turned head coach learned a lot from Vincent in the past two years, and it’s why Laval sees this internal hire as the right one.

Jacob has a lot on his plate. The Rocket are a different American Hockey League team, a team with the expectations of competing for the Calder Cup with a winning culture that allows the prospects to develop. 

It’s tough to coach that type of team and tougher when the Montreal Canadiens, the Rocket’s AHL affiliate, are also competing for the Stanley Cup. They expect the prospects to be on the roster, making a high impact, and if not, they’ll look to trade them, with their contention window open now. In short, Jacob, who saw the pressure first-hand as an assistant, now has a lot to handle in his first season behind the bench. 

Stats from 2025-26:

Record: 41-23-3-5 (1st in the North Division, 4th in the Eastern Conference & tied for 7th in the AHL)

Offense: 3.23 goals per game (12th in the AHL)

Defense: 2.77 goals per game (8th in the AHL)

Between Samuel Blais and Marc Del Gaizo, the Rocket must replace 65 points in their lineup from the past season. Losing Tobie Bisson means they must find more depth defensively, while Hunter Shepard, who was brought in because Jacob Fowler was called up to the Canadiens, is heading overseas. 

The defense is particularly in question because the Rocket are relying on Adam Engstrom and David Reinbacher, two prospects who are fighting for NHL roster spots. Both are cornerstones of the Rocket defense, and if either makes the Canadiens out of camp, it changes the blue line’s dynamics. 

Plus, there’s a good chance the Canadiens make a move at the trade deadline. With the team expected to be one of the best in the Eastern Conference, they might look to move a prospect or two. While many Habs fans see Michael Hage as untouchable, the players in Laval aren’t, especially if they land a top-six center or another power forward who can score in the playoffs. 

All of this set up the Rocket for an overhauled roster. Sure, moving a prospect might incline them to bring in a veteran, as they did last season with the Shepard move, but the team in March, April, and the Calder Cup Playoffs will be significantly different than the one to start the season. The key is how Jacob handles it. It’s something Vincent was prepared for as a longtime coach at the AHL level, but something a new coach must learn on the fly. 

The stability in the forward unit goes a long way, especially since the veteran core is back. Alex Belzile and Laurent Dauphin combined for 121 points last season and are the leaders in the room. They were the buffers for Vincent, who got the message across to the younger players and will do the same for Jacob. 

The veteran presence allows the Rocket to take a chance on Brett Berard, a 24-year-old winger who struggled to develop in the New York Rangers’ system. With the help of Belzile, who was with him in Hartford, Berard can take a big step in his development and become a key part of the offense. 

The defense, meanwhile, gets a boost with the Ethan Samson signing. He’s a stay-at-home option but will allow the Rocket to win low-scoring games. Plus, Jacob and both his assistants come from a defense background, so even though the position is a question mark, the coaching staff will lean into making it great. 

The lingering question is what the goaltending looks like, aside from Kaapo Kahkonen. Fowler and Jakub Dobes are both NHL-ready and will likely split starts, so the best bet is having Sam Montembeault clear waivers to add stability to the AHL net. Otherwise, they’ll lean on Kahkonen while searching for another veteran backup. 

In the big picture, the Rocket might take a step back, at least during the regular season. That said, they have all the pieces in place to remain at the top of the North Division, especially if some of the prospects become key players by the end of the season. 

The two big names are Engstrom and Reinbacher, the two defensemen who will fight for spots on the Canadiens. Engstrom became the point producer last season with 10 goals and 24 assists, while Reinbacher is a bigger defenseman who can protect the net. 

The new defenseman to watch is Ben Pickford. He won’t be on the team right away as he recovers from an injury, and it will be an adjustment from the Western Hockey League but he has a high upside as a 20-year-old who can drive the play. 

The Canadiens are eager to find reliable centers to round out their roster, and Owen Beck is developing into one. His production offensively is underwhelming, but his defensive game has stood out, and it’s why he might carve out a role on the NHL team someday. 

The wild card is Florian Xhekaj, a 22-year-old power forward who can score. He’s put together a strong case to join the Canadiens as a fourth-liner who adds toughness but doesn’t compromise the offense.