Paul Byron would leave his position with the Canadiens for a new challenge
It was last fall that Paul Byron was officially hired to support young players as the player development coach for the Canadiens.
This was somewhat expected, as he resides in Montreal year-round, even in retirement. He was also frequently seen with Kent Hughes at the Bell Centre.
It was only a matter of time before his new role was made public, and it was, but Byron could already be leaving his position for a new challenge.
Indeed, with Kelly Buchberger having left the Laval Rocket, there is an assistant coach position available. Head coach Jean-François Houle is still not certain to return, but according to Maxime Truman, it's just a formality.
This is excellent news for Houle and the Rocket, but also for the Canadiens. There were many rumors that Houle would not return because he was hired by Marc Bergevin, but it's clear he has been doing solid work.
When you look at what he has done with Joshua Roy, Arber Xhekaj, and Logan Mailloux, to name a few, he has been outstanding!
Remember how transformed Xhekaj was upon his return to Montreal last season. He even broke into the top 4 and played alongside David Savard.
In short, the most likely candidate to assist him in his duties is Paul Byron. I personally would not be surprised if Byron steps up and either becomes the coach of the Rocket in the coming years or stands behind the Canadiens' bench.
The length of Houle's contract will be very telling of the club's intentions. These are currently speculations, but don't be surprised if Houle receives a one- or two-year contract extension and Paul Byron becomes his assistant.
| POLL | ||
In your opinion, will Paul Byron make a good assistant coach and eventually a good head coach for the Rocket? | ||
| Yes | 417 | 91.9 % |
| No | 37 | 8.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
