NHL Franchise Boys

Legendary Hall of Fame netminder and ex-NHL Colorado Avalanche coach Patrick Roy, is looking to return to the game at its highest level in either a coaching or management role. He coached the Remparts for eight seasons before making the leap to the NHL.

Immediately, the news has piqued the interest of Montreal Canadiens fans pondering the club’s direction amid a tumultuous season. General manager Marc Bergevin, who has one season remaining on his current deal, has been almost desperately working to improve his club, and in many ways perhaps not to the desired result. Included in his flurry of actionable decisions, Bergevin replaced coach Claude Julien with Dominique Ducharme, who has managed just 11 wins from 27 games to begin, what is for now, just an interim stay.

Of course, Roy has not been formally associated with the Canadiens — aside from having his No. 33 retired — since one of the most famous coach-player feuds in hockey history, which resulted in the Hall of Fame netminder’s trade to the Avalanche in 1995.

While the timing is impeccable given Montreal’s apparent interest in coughing up the No. 4 seed in the North Division, Roy doesn’t seem to be announcing his intentions with a high-profile role in Montreal in mind. There isn’t a whole lot of evidence to suggest that Roy can be a difference maker at the NHL level — either in a coaching or executive position. He did lead the Avalanche to a division title in his first season at the helm, but it seemed regression hit hard — and accurately — in a first-round postseason exit, and as well in his next two seasons in charge.

Still, whether it’s in Montreal or not, the expectation should be that Roy finds work at the NHL level.