Moose coach Vincent leaving Winnipeg to join Blue Jackets staff

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 25/06/2021 (1566 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

PASCAL Vincent’s fingerprints are all over the Winnipeg Jets organization. He’s been one of their brightest minds and a valuable mentor to many young skaters playing prominent roles with the big club.

Now, the 49-year-old is bidding goodbye to the only pro hockey city he’s known, accepting an assistant coaching job in Columbus. Vincent will work alongside new Blue Jackets bench boss Brad Larsen, who takes over for the recently departed John Tortorella.

He’s expected to run the power play and will be reunited with former Jets players Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic.

Vincent’s departure leaves a huge hole around here, specifically with the Manitoba Moose. He’s run the AHL club for the past five seasons, helping to develop the likes of established pros such as Kyle Connor, Mason Appleton, Jansen Harkins, Tucker Poolman and Logan Stanley, and prized prospects including Cole Perfetti, Ville Heinola, Kristian Vesalainen and David Gustafsson.

There should be no shortage of quality candidates emerging this summer to fill his shoes.

Vincent was an original hire by True North as an assistant to Claude Noel back in 2011 when the Atlanta Thrashers relocated to Winnipeg, He spent five years in that position before taking the main gig with the farm team, which had previously been occupied by Keith McCambridge.

He compiled a 155-139-31 record with the Moose.

Vincent has repeatedly stated his goal was to eventually get back to the NHL as a head coach. Winnipeg was in the market for a new assistant last off-season after Todd Woodcroft left to coach the University of Vermont. The job ultimately went to Dave Lowry.

“Paul (Jets head coach Maurice) and I are pretty close and pretty direct to each other. There’s no games. So when (Woodcroft) left, Paul and I had a conversation. Without saying ‘I’m offering you the job’ he was asking me if I had any interest. I told him probably not but give me a few days to think about this. And we spoke a few days later and I told him I’m really happy where I am right now. He said ‘I figured so but needed to talk to you about it,” Vincent told the Free Press last November.

“At this point in my career I feel this is where I should be. Being an assistant in the NHL is an amazing privilege, but I really like what I’m doing and going back to the NHL as an assistant coach right now is not an option.”

Perhaps he thought there might be an eventual vacancy to fill with the Jets themselves, but Maurice is now a sure bet to return for next season. There were also rumblings connecting the Quebec native to the Montreal Canadiens. The organization fired coach Claude Julien midway through this current season, but interim coach Dominique Ducharme now seems like a lock to be extended considering their incredible playoff run.

Vincent is a terrific communicator who works well with young players. Prior to getting hired by the Jets a decade ago, he spent 11 seasons as a head coach in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and made the playoffs every year.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg