Jean Perron (born October 5, 1946) in Saint-Isidore-d'Auckland, now called Saint-Isidore-de-Clifton in Quebec, Canada is a Canadian ice hockey coach and sports commentator, best known for being the 16th head coach of the Montreal Canadiens, serving from 1985 to 1988. Perron has more recently served as the head coach for Israel's men's national teams.

Coaching career

Born in Saint-Isidore-d'Auckland, Quebec, Perron was an assistant coach with the National Hockey League's Montreal Canadiens under Jacques Lemaire for one season before being named head coach in 1985. As a rookie head coach, Perron won a Stanley Cup with the Canadiens. On May 17, 1988, he resigned as Canadiens head coach. manager, with team GM Serge Savard saying that Perron told him that the pressures of the job were "quite difficult" for him and especially his family. after the 1987–88 season. The next year, he was hired by the Quebec Nordiques as a temporary midseason replacement. He also served as an assistant coach for Canada at the 1987 Canada Cup. Later, Perron joined the International Hockey League's San Francisco Spiders as their head coach and general manager for one season, followed by a short stint with the Manitoba Moose. Perron's tough and often authoritarian coaching style resulted in tumultuous relationships with several of his players and staff, including a long-standing public feud with former Canadiens player Chris Nilan.

Post career

After his professional coaching career, Perron became a hockey analyst for different media outlets in Quebec and has appeared regularly on TQS's sports talk show 110%. His usage of strange idioms was noted in the media, once being quoted as saying, “We’re finally starting to see the train at the end of the tunnel." In 2004, Perron was named the coach of the Israel's Under-18 and senior men's national teams. He led both teams to new heights with Israel being promoted to Division I for one year. He left after two seasons but returned in 2011 and led the Under-18 team to an IIHF World U-18 Division II Group B championship in 2013.

Coaching record

NHL

IHL