In a twist few saw coming, former Montreal Canadiens head coach Michel Therrien is stepping back behind the bench, taking the reins of Team Canada for the 2025 Spengler Cup in Davos. Hockey Canada confirmed the appointment on Thursday, marking a surprising return for a coach who had publicly announced his retirement from hockey and media just last fall.
Therrien, now 62, will lead a staff composed of Drew Bannister, Rob Cookson, Patrice Lefebvre, and video coach Jérémy Coupal for the tournament running from December 26 to 31. But the real headline lies behind the scenes:
Marc Bergevin, the former Canadiens general manager who hired Therrien in 2012, is serving as Team Canada’s GM for the event. The reunion of this once‑powerful duo instantly revives memories of the Price‑Subban era in Montreal.
Therrien’s résumé remains substantial. Across 542 regular‑season games with the Canadiens, he collected 271 wins and guided the team to a 50‑win, 110‑point season in 2014‑2015, along with an Eastern Conference Final appearance in 2014. Including his years with the Pittsburgh Penguins, he totals 406 NHL regular‑season victories. His return, even on a temporary basis, signals that his coaching chapter may not be as closed as once believed.
For Bergevin, the Spengler Cup marks another intriguing turn in a career that has never lacked drama. After declining a three‑year extension worth three million dollars annually with the Canadiens, he was dismissed and later resurfaced as an advisor in Los Angeles. Now, he reunites with Therrien in a context far removed from the relentless scrutiny of Montreal, but with expectations that remain unmistakably high.
Canada enters the tournament seeking its first Spengler Cup title since 2019, having historically dominated the event with 16 championships, including four in five years between 2015 and 2019. The preliminary round will pit Team Canada against HC Davos and the American Collegiate Selects, with the opening game set for December 26. All matchups will be broadcast nationwide, offering holiday viewers a familiar dose of international hockey.
The Canadiens’ connection to Davos remains strong. In recent years, players such as Nicolas Beaudin and Noel Hoefenmayer were released by the organization to represent Canada at the event. This time, however, the Montreal influence comes from behind the bench, with two of the franchise’s most recognizable figures from the past decade leading the national squad.
For many fans, the tournament will feel like a brief return to a bygone era—one without the daily pressure cooker of Montreal, but with a prestigious trophy on the line and only six days to chase it. Therrien’s comeback may be temporary, but its symbolism is unmistakable: some chapters in hockey never truly close.