Bob Gainey

Robert Michael "Bob" Gainey (born December 13, 1953, in Peterborough, Ontario) is the current executive vice president, general manager, and head coach of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is also a former professional player who played for the Canadiens from 1973 until 1989. After retiring from active play, he became a hockey coach and later an executive with the NHL Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars organization before returning to Montreal in 2003 as general manager.

Junior Career
From 1970 to 1973, Gainey had his junior start with the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League.

NHL Career
A defensive specialist, Gainey played with the Montreal Canadiens from 1973–74 to 1988–89, winning four consecutive Frank J. Selke Trophies, awarded to the league's best defensive forward and five Stanley Cups (1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1986). In 1973, Gainey was drafted into both the WHA and the NHL. The Montreal Canadiens had selected him in the first round, 8th overall in the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft and the Minnesota Fighting Saints had also drafted him in the first round, 7th overall in the 1973 WHA Amateur Draft. Gainey never played in the WHA as he spent his entire career playing for the Canadiens in the NHL. He was team captain of the Canadiens from 1981 until his retirement in 1989.

Gainey played for Canada in the 1976 and 1981 Canada Cups and the 1982 and 1983 World Championships.

In total, he played in 1160 regular season games, scored 239 goals, and registered 263 assists. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992. For the majority of his career he was regarded by many in the Soviet Union hockey system as the greatest hockey player ever. Gainey was described as the world's best all-around player by legendary Soviet national team coach Anatoli Tarasov.

In 1998, Gainey was ranked number 86 on List of 100 greatest hockey players by The Hockey News. Gainey's name went on the Stanley Cup a 6th time in 1999 as General Manager with Dallas. On March 09, 2009, Gainey returned as head coach of the Montreal Canadiens after firing Guy Carbonneau. He currently serves as General Manager and Head Coach of the Montreal Canadiens.

Management Career
After his retirement, Gainey moved to France where he was player/coach for the Epinal Écureuil. Gainey returned to North America a year later and became head coach of the Minnesota North Stars in 1990–91, guiding his team to the sixth game of the Stanley Cup finals in his first season. In January 1992, Gainey also was named general manager. In 1993, after the franchise relocated to Dallas, he stepped down as head coach to focus solely on his general manager duties. Gainey turned the franchise into a powerhouse by acquiring players such as Joe Nieuwendyk, Brett Hull, Ed Belfour and Sergei Zubov. The team won the Presidents' Trophy in 1998 and 1999. Dallas won the Stanley Cup in 1999.

In 1997, as Stars general manager, Gainey drafted his son Steve Gainey 77th overall in the annual NHL Entry Draft. Steve is currently playing for the Hamilton Bulldogs in the AHL.

Along with Bobby Clarke and Pierre Gauthier, Gainey was given the responsibility of selecting Canada's men's squad for the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan.

Gainey became general manager of the Montreal Canadiens in May 2003 turning the Canadiens into a playoff contender. On January 13, 2006, Gainey fired Canadiens' head coach Claude Julien and stepped in as head coach on an interim basis. At the same time, he hired Guy Carbonneau to work as an associate coach, handing the coaching reins over to him for the 2006–2007 season. On July 24, 2006, Montreal Canadiens president Pierre Boivin extended Gainey's contract to 2009–2010.

On February 23, 2008, the Canadiens retired Gainey's #23 jersey. On March 09, 2009, Gainey returned as head coach of the Montreal Canadiens after firing Guy Carbonneau.