Since his dismissal in February 2022 by Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton, Dominique Ducharme has been out of the public eye, except for a few appearances on sports radio.
Although he led the Habs to the Stanley Cup Final, it seems unlikely that he will return to coaching a team, as he is still under contract with the Canadiens until the end of the 2023-24 season. Therefore, it would be wise for him to remain discreet and enjoy the remaining payments from the club.
Nevertheless, the former Habs coach has accepted a new role that will gradually bring him back into the world of hockey. The Saint-Jérôme Panthères of the LHJAAAQ announced their new general manager and head coach, and also mentioned that Ducharme would become their hockey advisor.
Ducharme's role will likely consist of advising Jean-Philippe Paré, who will hold both positions of general manager and head coach. By helping to establish a new group of coaches and guiding them in their new roles, the former NHL coach can bring his expertise to the Saint-Jérôme Panthères.
It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Ducharme next year, when his contract with the Habs expires. Will he be back behind a coach's bench in junior hockey? Last November, when Steve Hartley was fired by the Drummondville Voltigeurs, it was mentioned that Ducharme was not interested in the position.
