Former Laval Rocket coach Pascal Vincent departs for Kraken with mixed emotions
It was never a question of if. Instead, it seemed inevitable Pascal Vincent would eventually leave the Laval Rocket as its head coach for a return to the NHL.
That day occurred last week, when Vincent, 54, joined the Seattle Kraken as an assistant coach under Lane Lambert after receiving an offer he couldn’t refuse.
Vincent, a Laval native, signed a two-year contract. Although he had a year remaining on his deal with the Rocket, the Canadiens granted Seattle permission to approach Vincent. The Kraken had an opening on its staff after Jessica Campbell — the first full-time female coach in the NHL — announced her departure at the end of April to pursue other opportunities in the league.
“It’s really hard to get a job in the NHL,” Vincent told The Gazette this week by telephone while clearing out his Place Bell office. “There are so many coaches all over the world. A lot of really good coaches. When there’s a real opportunity in front of you, you really have to consider it because it might be the last time it comes around.
“The conversation I had with Lane was really good and I felt an immediate connection.”
Vincent was first approached by Lambert and the Kraken last summer, but felt the timing wasn’t right following only one season in Laval. The Rocket went 48-19-5 in 2024-25, finishing first overall in the AHL. Laval advanced to the Eastern Conference final before being swept by Charlotte.
Vincent was also reluctant to uproot his family — wife Josée and 15-year-old daughter Genève — after they had returned to Canada from Columbus. Vincent was the Blue Jackets’ head coach in 2023-24, but was fired after the team went 27-43-12 and missed the playoffs.
“Laval gave me an opportunity to coach after Columbus,” Vincent said. “Being here in my hometown, close to my family with the Montreal Canadiens organization. We had a lot of success the first year, but it wasn’t right to leave after one year. It wasn’t right to do it to the organization, and we had just moved from Columbus. I would have moved again for the right opportunity. This was an offer I couldn’t refuse.
“When we spoke, it became obvious that it was a good opportunity for me.”
While it was always assumed Vincent would only return to the NHL for another head coaching opportunity, his role with the Kraken will be vast.
While that role will continue to evolve in the weeks ahead, Vincent said Lambert wants his assistance in a leadership capacity. He’ll be asked to provide the staff with input in an effort to create more offence. The Kraken scored a modest 226 goals while going 34-37-11 and placing sixth in the Pacific Division.
“It’s a big role,” Vincent said. “Lots of responsibilities that are wide-ranging. It’s a lot, and I wanted that.”
But it’s also with mixed emotions that Vincent departs the Canadiens organization. While Laval (41-23-8) finished first in the North Division for a second consecutive season and received an opening-round playoff bye, the Rocket was eliminated by Toronto in its initial series, losing the fifth and deciding game on home ice.
Laval’s inconsistent goaltending proved to be its Achilles heel as Kaapo Kahkonen was unable to duplicate his performance from a year earlier with Charlotte. Had Jacob Fowler been available to the Rocket, instead of generally sitting on the bench as Jakub Dobes’s backup in the playoffs, the farm team probably would have advanced further.
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While Vincent leaves knowing some business was unfinished in Laval, he also believes the numerous players recalled by Montreal during the season were prepared for NHL play.
“I’m proud of what we’ve done,” said Vincent, a former assistant with Winnipeg and head coach of the Jets’ Manitoba Moose AHL affiliate. “Our goal is to develop players for the Montreal Canadiens. I felt they were well prepared and the young players improved. We put them in a winning environment. They felt safe to be who they were and helped them learn what it takes to be a pro player. They understood the plan. We won a lot of games. I feel we did what we signed up for — and beyond.
“For me, I got the opportunity to work for the Montreal Canadiens and the Laval Rocket. You can’t put a dollar sign on this.”
Vincent will travel to Seattle with his family next week to find a new home and prepare for the Kraken’s development camp, which runs from June 28 to July 3.
