bob gainey

The 2008-09 season ended on a very sour note for the Montreal Canadiens. They were swept out of the first round of the playoffs by the Boston Bruins.

So heading into their 100th season General Manager Bob Gainey made kind of an unusual move. He blew the team up and looked to rebuild it another way.

He fired their head coach and brought in Jacques Martin, who spent many years with their hated rivals the Ottawa Senators to take this team in a new direction.

Jacques Martin (mar-TAN) is the new coach of the Montreal Canadiens. The team announced the hiring Monday, and Martin was to be introduced at an afternoon news conference.

Martin has been general manager of the Florida Panthers the past three seasons and coached the team from 2004 to 2008.

Martin replaces GM Bob Gainey behind the bench.