NHL roundup: Canadiens hire Therrien as head coach
The Montreal Canadiens hired a new old coach Tuesday, bringing back Michel Therrien to the place where he began his coaching career.
Therrien coached the Canadiens for parts of three seasons -- 2000-01, 2001-02 and 20-03 -- replacing Alain Vigneault behind the bench. Montreal upset Boston in the first round of the 2002 playoffs, but that couldn't save him from being fired in the 2002-03 season.
This time, the 48-year-old replaces Randy Cunneyworth, who was disliked by the media and fans because he didn't speak French. Cunneyworth had taken over for Jacques Martin at midseason.
After leaving Montreal, Therrien coached the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2005-06 through 2008-09. In the 2007-08, he led the Penguins to the Stanley Cup Finals, but the team lost to the Detroit Red Wings to six games.
Therrien has also done TV work for French-language sports network RDS this past season, was among several bilingual candidates interviewed by rookie Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin.
---Actor Vince Vaughn, star of the new movie "The Watch," will be among the celebrity presenters at the 2012 NHL Awards in Las Vegas later this month.
A fan of the Chicago Blackhawks, Vaughn was often seen wearing a jersey at games at United Center during Chicago's playoff games.
The 2012 NHL Awards will recognize the regular-season's best performers in many categories.
--- San Jose Sharks center Dominic Moore released a statement on Tuesday saying that he missed the last two games of the first-round playoffs series against St. Louis to tend to his ailing wife.
"Towards the end of the 2011-12 season, my wife, Katie, began feeling ill. We visited with local doctors, who suggested running a variety of tests to ascertain the cause of the issue," the statement read in part. "Ultimately, Katie was diagnosed with a rare liver cancer and it was recommended that she undergo surgery, which took place in California in April. While it was disappointing to not be able to compete with my Sharks teammates in the playoffs, my wife's condition and care come first and I want to thank the Sharks organization, my teammates and their families for the love and support that has been shown to Katie and I during this difficult time."
