The Montreal Canadiens announced some changes to the department of hockey operations yesterday.
As the Montreal Canadiens prepare for the start of the season, they are putting the finishing touches on their staff. Yesterday, they made announcements regarding the coaching, scouting, sports science, and performance departments.
Dale Lablans, the team's head strength and conditioning coach for just over three years, has been promoted to head of performance. Stephane Gervais, the Laval Rocket's head strength and conditioning coach for just under three years, has been hired as strength and conditioning coach with the Canadiens, and Mitch Freeburn will replace him with the AHL team.
On the scouting front, Albie O'Connell was promoted to chief North American scout, Tommy Lehman was promoted to chief European scout, and Matt Ryan was hired as a pro scout.
Since arriving at the helm, Martin St-Louis has had little say in his assistant coaches, but today, the Canadiens announced the hiring of Roger Grillo as a coaching consultant. Grillo was an assistant coach at the University of Vermont from 1993 to 1994, where St-Louis played for four years. Needless to say, the two men go way back.
Grillo has been a coach in the US National Team Development Program for the last 17 years and was, until his hiring as USA Hockey's director of player development. In other words, he has worked with the likes of Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson in the past.
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