The five best Montreal Canadiens head coaches consistently had their team among the Stanley Cup odds favourites.
They made winning look easy, with the top pair celebrating 13 championships during their time coaching in La Belle Province.
Who Are the 5 Best Montreal Canadiens Coaches?
| Rank | Coach | Seasons | Best Result |
| 5 | Pat Burns | 1988-1992 | Stanley Cup Final |
| 4 | Jacques Demers | 1992-1996 | 1 Stanley Cup |
| 3 | Dick Irvin | 1940-1955 | 3 Stanley Cups |
| 2 | Toe Blake | 1955-1968 | 8 Stanley Cups |
| 1 | Scotty Bowman | 1971-1979 | 5 Stanley Cups |
5. Pat Burns (1988-1992)
Pat Burns led the Canadiens to the Stanley Cup Final in 1988-89, his first season as the team’s head coach.
While they fell just short of their ultimate goal, losing to the Calgary Flames in six games, Burns won the Jack Adams Award that season, with the Canadiens finishing second overall. He coached the Canadiens for 320 games and had the fifth-best points percentage (.609).
4. Jacques Demers (1992-1996)
Jacques Demers led the Canadiens to glory in his first season as head coach. Under Demers’ tutelage, the Canadiens triumphed over Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings in the 1993 Stanley Cup Final.
While he benefited from the successful patch Burns carved beforehand, Demers galvanized the collective with his fresh perspective.
Demers missed the playoffs in his third season at the helm, but he already cemented his legacy with the Cup win.
3. Dick Irvin (1940-1955)
In charge of the Canadiens for 15 seasons, Dick Irvin propelled the Habs to glory three times.
Irvin also led the team to the Stanley Cup Final five times and is second in franchise history in games coached (896), 18 fewer than Toe Blake.
2. Toe Blake (1955-1968)
Blake coached the most games for the franchise (914) and filled his trophy cabinet, winning the Stanley Cup eight times in 15 seasons.
He was behind the bench for the Habs’ historic run in which they won five consecutive Cups from 1956 to 1960. Blake holds the record for the most Stanley Cups won by a coach for one team.
1. Scotty Bowman (1971-1979)
Scotty Bowman holds the record for the coach with the most Stanley Cups (nine).
He won five of those with the Canadiens between 1972 and 1979, including four straight to culminate his tenure with the team.
Bowman is third in franchise history in games coached (634) and first in points percentage (.744). He won four of his Stanley Cups in a league with 16 teams, making his achievements even more difficult.
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