Confirmed with Link: Jean-François Houle Parts Ways with Habs/Rocket to Coach at Clarkson University

Should Houle be brought back?

  • Yes

    Votes: 32 30.8%
  • No

    Votes: 72 69.2%

  • Total voters
    104

Whitesnake

If you rebuild, they will come.
Jan 5, 2003
90,720
39,614
@Whitesnake He was with your hometown team for a while right? Whats the skinny on the guy?

I'll wrote back what I said to another poster asking me about him....Big fan of him when he was with the Armada. When Bouchard came in, he didn't invent hockey. He went in continuity of JF Houle. I like him. Saw him up close and personal. The guy is as fair as you can find with everybody. Insanely respected and respect his players. He is a great mix between being technical and vocal. I didn't follow him up once he left, so I don't know how all of this changed....but based on what I know, it's a great hire.
 

Schwang

Registered User
May 6, 2002
7,354
3,618
Kingston, Ont
Visit site
I think he's going to have a tough time. Don't expect Laval to be like they were last season. Much better competition next year, and a fair number of guys leaving. With the exception of Ylonen and Fairbrother if he's eligible, no one is really exciting me. Most guys aren't even our drafted rookies.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fenris and dcyhabs

dinodebino

Registered User
Sep 27, 2017
16,390
29,531
I'll wrote back what I said to another poster asking me about him....Big fan of him when he was with the Armada. When Bouchard came in, he didn't invent hockey. He went in continuity of JF Houle. I like him. Saw him up close and personal. The guy is as fair as you can find with everybody. Insanely respected and respect his players. He is a great mix between being technical and vocal. I didn't follow him up once he left, so I don't know how all of this changed....but based on what I know, it's a great hire.
One voice that knows him. Thanks.
 

Habaneros

Habs Cup champs 2010
Oct 31, 2011
16,619
7,139
I'll wrote back what I said to another poster asking me about him....Big fan of him when he was with the Armada. When Bouchard came in, he didn't invent hockey. He went in continuity of JF Houle. I like him. Saw him up close and personal. The guy is as fair as you can find with everybody. Insanely respected and respect his players. He is a great mix between being technical and vocal. I didn't follow him up once he left, so I don't know how all of this changed....but based on what I know, it's a great hire.

Wasn't there an incident between Houle and Matteau with the Armada?
 

Adam Michaels

Registered User
Jun 12, 2016
78,815
129,329
Montreal
I'll wrote back what I said to another poster asking me about him....Big fan of him when he was with the Armada. When Bouchard came in, he didn't invent hockey. He went in continuity of JF Houle. I like him. Saw him up close and personal. The guy is as fair as you can find with everybody. Insanely respected and respect his players. He is a great mix between being technical and vocal. I didn't follow him up once he left, so I don't know how all of this changed....but based on what I know, it's a great hire.

I think it's also someone who has paid his dues in various leagues. He's coached in NCAA, QMJHL, ECHL, and AHL.
 

Whitesnake

If you rebuild, they will come.
Jan 5, 2003
90,720
39,614
I think it's also someone who has paid his dues in various leagues. He's coached in NCAA, QMJHL, ECHL, and AHL.

Absolutely. From head coach, to assistant coach, knows the Québec market, but knows everywhere else. I have no idea how it could be perceived as a bad move because somehow, we have to associate coaches AS WELL AS assistant coaches to development of players. He saw the NCAA, the Q, the ECHL, and the AHL. He's experienced. And he's good.
 

Habaneros

Habs Cup champs 2010
Oct 31, 2011
16,619
7,139
Absolutely. From head coach, to assistant coach, knows the Québec market, but knows everywhere else. I have no idea how it could be perceived as a bad move because somehow, we have to associate coaches AS WELL AS assistant coaches to development of players. He saw the NCAA, the Q, the ECHL, and the AHL. He's experienced. And he's good.

Habs drafted John Francois Houle back in 1993....he has now come full circle
 

Pompeius Magnus

Registered User
May 18, 2014
21,171
19,083
Kanata ,ON

Whitesnake

If you rebuild, they will come.
Jan 5, 2003
90,720
39,614
Not sure how people solely look at development results to know if a coach or an assitant coach is great or not. Dallas Eakins was once seen as the greatest invention since the wheel. Who the heck did Eakins develop? The way it works....are we really going to look at players and figure out that they are responsible for their success? Is Eakins really responsible for Theodore, Steel and Terry? If so, Lefebvre is responsible for Gallagher.

Besides....who was the Gulls assistant coach in the last 2 years? Lefebvre? So if Eakins is responsible for Steel and Terry....so is Lefebvre. And he might very well be responsible for Comtois too? lol
 

dcyhabs

Registered User
May 30, 2008
4,456
2,678
Montreal
Oilers just suck at drafting. They’ve had a couple of bad 1st overall picks (Yakupov, RNH), a bad 4th overall pick (Pulju), so it’s not surprising that their later picks suck as well. It’s less a development issue than it is a scouting issue.

Not sure it's so much their drafting as the years they drafted. Usually the consensus is pretty good on the top 5 picks or so, they picked in years it did not work out, 2012 top picks stunk, even Reilly is flawed. RNH is comparable to other top options in a so so year, Pulju doesn't look good so far. Impressive they are not better after so many high picks, though.
 

WinterLion

Registered User
Oct 1, 2017
5,400
5,482
Big fan of him when he was with the Armada. When Bouchard came in, he didn't invent hockey. He went in continuity of JF Houle. I like him. Saw him up close and personal. The guy is as fair as you can find with everybody. Insanely respected and respect his players. He is a great mix between being technical and vocal. I didn't follow him up once he left, so I don't know how all of this changed....but based on what I know, it's a great hire.


Thanks for sharing this!! :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: dinodebino

Just Linda

Registered User
Feb 24, 2018
6,829
6,803
Wasn't there an incident between Houle and Matteau with the Armada?

I wouldn't call it an incident.

Matteau took a retaliatory penalty, got benched, yelled something at Houle, and got 'fired' (released) by his GM (Bouchard) during the playoff game to end his season. Bouchard had been mad at him lots for taking bad penalties and being selfish on the ice, it was the straw on the camel's back.
 

le_sean

Registered User
Oct 21, 2006
41,994
45,125
I'll wrote back what I said to another poster asking me about him....Big fan of him when he was with the Armada. When Bouchard came in, he didn't invent hockey. He went in continuity of JF Houle. I like him. Saw him up close and personal. The guy is as fair as you can find with everybody. Insanely respected and respect his players. He is a great mix between being technical and vocal. I didn't follow him up once he left, so I don't know how all of this changed....but based on what I know, it's a great hire.

Also helps to get some stability down in Laval. He doesn’t strike me as the type of coach that will get NHL offers for a few years. Not nearly as hyped as Bouchard.
 

Wateredgarden

Registered User
Oct 10, 2020
971
1,322
Wasn't he seen as a genius when he was at the helm of the Mainiacs? I remember him being the talk of the town.
 

Adam Michaels

Registered User
Jun 12, 2016
78,815
129,329
Montreal


Servant says that he covered the Armada when Houle was coaching. He said he is intelligent, available, demanding of his players, but respectful of their work. He and Joel Bouchard instilled a winning culture in Blainville-Boisbriand.

He recalls in the Q playoffs in 2012, Armada were down 4-0 against Rimouski in Game 7 of the 2nd round. Armada were able to come back in the game, but Houle had benched his scoring leader because work ethic was important.

They still lost the game 5-4 (and the series 4-3).
 
  • Like
Reactions: MarkovsKnee

Whitesnake

If you rebuild, they will come.
Jan 5, 2003
90,720
39,614
Have you READ his camp reports from back in the day ? I wouldnt be so sure :sarcasm:

You are giving me an idea...I think that one day, I'll write my best/worst players in different categories. For all the years I was there. But then...I don't have a great memory so maybe you guys will add to it for me....I know I already have quite a few guys in my mind....lol
 

Harry Kakalovich

Like and reply
Sep 26, 2002
6,564
4,922
Montreal
Not very glowing list

Failed prospects:
Tyler Pitlick
Anton Slepyshev
Phil McRae
David Musil
Anton Lander
Ryan Hamilton
Griffin Reinhart
Mitch Moroz
Ty Rattie
Tyler Benson
Cooper Marody
Ostap Safin
Lander played over 200 NHL games and Pitlick has almost played 300 NHL games and is still playing in the NHL! Those aren't failures by my count.

McRae, Hamilton and Rattie weren't drafted by Edmonton and were already on usually their 3rd team by the time Edmonton got them. Benson and Safin are pretty young still.

I wouldn't worry too much about it, TBH.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MarkovsKnee

Ad

Ad

Ad