The Montreal Canadiens didn't have to go far to find Pascal Vincent's replacement; Daniel Jacob was right in their backyard, patiently waiting for his turn.
The Montreal Canadiens didn’t have to look very far to find the Laval Rocket's new bench boss after Pascal Vincent elected to join the Seattle Kraken as an assistant coach; they opted for assistant coach Daniel Jacob. Not only is Jacob already familiar with the organization, having been part of Vincent’s staff for the last two seasons, but that was his second stint with the Rocket. He spent three seasons from 2018-19 to 2020-21 in Laval, serving as Joel Bouchard’s assistant coach before following him to the San Diego Gulls in the AHL for one season and to the Syracuse Crunch in 2023-24.
After two seasons away from home, Jacob wanted to return to Laval and was in the running for the head coaching job there when Vincent was appointed. In a statement, Rocket GM John Sedgwick said:
In his time with the Laval Rocket, Daniel has earned the respect of all his colleagues and players with his relentless enthusiasm, work ethic and undeniable passion for the game of hockey and for improving hockey players. He is an excellent communicator with a proven track record of player development and strong values which are aligned with those of the Montreal Canadiens and Laval Rocket organizations.
Before becoming a coach, Jacob was a defenseman who played in the QMJHL with the Drummondville Voltigeurs and later with McGill University. An NHL team never drafted him, but he did play one game with the San Antonio Rampage before heading to Austria to play a couple of games with the Innsbruck HC.
From 2010 to 2014, Jacob was an assistant coach at his alma mater, McGill, before making the jump to the QMJHL with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. He spent four years there as well before joining Bouchard’s staff in Laval. A few times this past season, Canadiens coach Martin St-Louis praised the coaching staff in Laval for how well prepared the call-ups were for the NHL. It was therefore logical for the Habs to opt for continuity in Laval, and it would be very surprising if Jacob didn’t prove up to the task with his wealth of experience.
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