The Vegas Golden Knights Wednesday night confirmed the hiring of Dominique Ducharme and Joel Ward as assistants to head coach Bruce Cassidy.
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Jean-Charles Lajoie first hinted Tuesday that Ducharme would be back on the bench of a National Hockey League western team.
“We are very pleased to have Dominique and Joel join our coaching staff in Vegas. “Dominique brings extensive coaching experience to our organization and has proven to be an effective leader on many levels,” Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said in a statement late Wednesday.
His tenure as head coach of the Montreal Canadiens lasted less than a year. He was released from the Habs on February 9, 2022.
Ducharme succeeded Claude Julien as CH head coach in February 2021. The main prospect then led the club from Montreal to the Stanley Cup final.
Born in Joliette, he joined the Canadiens as an assistant coach in the 2018-2019 season.
Before making the leap into the big leagues, the Joliette native was at the helm of the Halifax Mooseheads and Drummondville Voltigeurs in the QMJHL. He also won the Memorial Cup with the Mooseheads in 2013.
The 50-year-old led the Canadian team to two medals at the World Junior Championships, including gold in 2018.