Claude Ruel obit

Former Habs coach Ruel dead at 76

 He was not on the list.

MONTREAL - Claude Ruel, a reluctant coach who guided the Montreal Canadiens to a Stanley Cup in 1969, has died. He was 76.

The Canadiens confirmed Ruel's death on the team's website.

Ruel coached the Canadiens from 1968 to 1970 and again from 1979 to 1981, but was said to dislike the stress of coaching and worked mostly as director of player development.

He succeeded Toe Blake as coach in 1968 and led the Canadiens to a Stanley Cup in his first season behind the bench before being replaced by Al McNeil midway through the 1970-71 campaign.

He was called in again to replace Bernard (Boom Boom) Geoffrion early in the 1979 season and stepped down in 1981 in favour of Bob Berry.

Many former Canadiens players, including Norris Trophy winning defencemen Larry Robinson and Rod Langway, credit Ruel with helping them develop their skills to become NHL players.

"Claude would come two weeks before camp and work us out on the ice," Robinson said in a recent interview. "A lot of it was movement, getting the puck, passing the puck, receiving the puck, shooting the puck.

"He had a way of creating mobility. Most of the guys on our defence could skate and could move around with the puck."

Ruel coached 305 NHL games and had a record of 172-82-51.

The Sherbrooke, Que., native was promising defenceman as a youth until he lost the sight in one eye after being struck by a puck. He joined the Montreal organization as a coach with the Junior Canadiens in the 1960s and later was promoted into scouting and player development jobs.

The Canadiens have also recently mourned the death of legendary captain Jean Beliveau on Dec. 2 and forward Gilles Tremblay in November.

Ruel grew up playing hockey in Sherbrooke. He was considered to be a promising young defensive talent, despite his diminutive stature. However, during a game in 1958, he was struck in the eye by a deflected puck. Following the injury, he was hospitalized for three months, but his eyesight could not be restored.

In the early 1960s, Ruel received his first coaching job, taking a position with the Montreal Junior Canadiens. He became a key part of the Montreal farm system, serving as one of the team's top scouts. He later was elevated to the front office of the NHL club and served as director of player development.

Ruel was hired to coach the Habs in 1968, replacing the legendary Toe Blake. He led a talented group of players to a Stanley Cup championship during his first year. However, the following season, Montreal was the odd team out in a tight, five-team "Original Six" battle for four playoff spots. He started the 1970-71 season behind the bench, but decided to step down 23 games into the season because the pressure of life behind the bench was affecting his health. He subsequently returned to his role director of player development, but he took over as Montreal coach again in 1979, leading the team for one and a half years during the waning days of the 1970s dynasty. Ruel died on February 9, 2015.