PRESS RELEASE

MONTREAL– The Canadiens announced Saturday that Jacques Martin has been relieved of his duties as head coach of the Canadiens and that assistant Randy Cunneyworth would take the reins of the team through the end of the 2011-2012 season.

The 50-year old Randy Cunneyworth joined the Canadiens organisation in 2010-11 as head coach of the team’s AHL affiliate in Hamilton, leading the Bulldogs to a record of 44-27-9. Cunneyworth, who joined the Canadiens coaching staff in 2011-12 had spent two seasons as an assistant with the Atlanta Thrashers, from 2008 to 2010. Previously, Cunneyworth was head coach of the AHL Rochester Americans for nine seasons, leaving the franchise as the second winningest coach with 268 victories. The Etobicoke, Ontario native played 15 seasons in the NHL, recording 414 points in 866 career games.

Appointed Assistant General Manager of the Montreal Canadiens on July 16, 2010, Larry Carrière will join the Canadiens coaching staff as an assistant to Cunneyworth. Carrière has over two decades of experience in hockey management as General Manager, Director of Player Personnel and amateur scout. The Montreal-born Carrière, played 367 games in the NHL with Buffalo, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Toronto and Atlanta between 1972 and 1980.

Jacques Martin was in his third season at the helm of the Canadiens in 2011-12. In 196 games behind the Montreal bench, he led the team to 96 wins, 75 losses and 25 overtime losses. Throughout his NHL head coaching career, Martin recorded 613 wins, 481 losses, 119 ties and 81 overtime losses in 1,294 games.



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