Pascal Vincent

Vincent arrives in Seattle from the Laval (Quebec) Rocket, the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Montréal Canadiens, where he was head coach for the past two seasons. He was named AHL Coach of the Year for the 2024-25 season, winning the award for a second time in his career. The Rocket totaled 101 points that season, posting a league-leading 48-19-5 record. His coaching career spans 28 years, including eight seasons in the NHL between the Winnipeg Jets as an assistant coach (five seasons, 2011-2016) and the Columbus Blue Jackets (2021-2024), where he served as an associate coach for two seasons until being elevated to the head role in 2023-24. In the AHL, Vincent led the Manitoba Moose from 2016 to 2021 as head coach and won the AHL Coach of the Year award in 2017-18. As a junior coach, he split 13 seasons between the Saint-Jean (assistant coach; 1994-95), Cape Breton (1999-2008), and the Montréal Juniors (2008-2011) in the QMJHL. He was the QMJHL GM of the Year award in 2006-07 and a repeat winner the following season with Cape Breton. The Laval, QC, native served as an assistant coach for Canada’s 2003 U18 World Championship team.