François Allaire

François Allaire is an ice hockey goaltender coach currently working for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). He developed considerable expertise during the 1980s as the Montreal Canadiens' first-ever goaltending coach. In the 1990s, he promoted his methods to the younger generation of goalies, making his technique a new standard. The 'Allaire style' stresses sound positioning, getting down into the butterfly, and taking up as much net as possible. He has encouraged his goalies to wear the biggest allowable gear.

Allaire successfully mentored Patrick Roy, winning Stanley Cups in 1986 and 1993. In 2003, he guided the relatively unheralded Jean-Sébastien Giguère to the Conn Smythe Trophy (an award for the most valuable player in the Stanley Cup Playoffs). He won a third Stanley Cup championship with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007.

On 10 June 2009, Allaire left the Ducks to join the Maple Leafs, opting to resume a working relationship with Brian Burke, Toronto's current general manager. Burke had served as Anaheim's GM since 2005 before joining the Maple Leafs in November 2008. He has since been reunited with Giguere when he was traded for Vesa Toskala and Jason Blake on January 31, 2010, and mentoring Swedish goalie prodigy Jonas Gustavsson.

His brother Benoit Allaire, also a goaltending coach, has worked for the Phoenix Coyotes and is currently with the New York Rangers.

Interviews
ESPN interviewed Allaire shortly after Patrick Roy announced his retirement from professional hockey here: http://static.espn.go.com/nhl/s/2003/0528/1560164.html