Daniel Jacob (BSc, Kinesiology, 2005) appointed assistant coach with Habs AHL farm team
Daniel Jacob (BSc, Kinesiology, 2005), a former McGill University all-star defenceman and assistant coach, has been appointed to the coaching staff of the Laval Rocket, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens.
He becomes the sixth McGill hockey grad to coach at the AHL level, joining George Burnett (Cape Breton), Mike Babcock (Cincinnati), Guy Boucher (Hamilton), Martin Raymond (Hamilton, Syracuse) and Jamie Kompon (Baltimore).
Prior to joining the Rocket, Jacob assisted head coach Joël Bouchard in the same capacity behind the bench of the QMJHL's Blainville-Boisbriand Armada for the last four seasons.
"Daniel and I developed a good relationship and worked extremely well together during our four years coaching the Armada, and I am excited about his addition to our coaching staff in Laval," said Bouchard in a press release issued by the Rocket. "Daniel is a young, innovative and versatile coach with a rich background in hockey. His years as a player and the knowledge he acquired coaching on the international stage are invaluable assets for our future success. I'm happy to have Daniel by my side in the professional ranks. The search for another assistant to our coaching staff will continue over the coming weeks."
Jacob, a 37-year-old native of St. Jean sur Richelieu, Que., worked alongside Bouchard to lead the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada to back-to-back President Cup final appearances during the past two seasons. With Jacob on staff, the Armada never missed the playoffs, posting an impressive 160-80-18-14 record, and winning the Jean-Rougeau Trophy last season as the QMJHL's regular season champions.
His work at the junior level eventually led to an opportunity with Hockey Canada. Jacob served behind the bench at the 2016 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and was selected to join the coaching staff for the gold medal-winning men's national Under-17 team at the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament.
Prior to joining the Armada, he was an assistant coach at McGill from 2010-14, including their national championship campaign in 2011-12. As a player, he had a short stint with the QMJHL's Drummondville Voltigeurs before patrolling the blueline for five seasons of university hockey with the McGill Redmen from 2000 to 2005, serving as team captain in his fifth season when he also merited OUA first-team all-star status. During his time in the Canadian collegiate ranks with McGill, he recorded 16 goals and 21 assists with 369 penalty minutes in 108 regular season contests. He also sported the colours of the AHL's San Antonio Rampage and Austria's Innsbruck HC before closing out his playing career with a stint in Serbia.
Jacob graduated from McGill in 2010 with a kinesiology degree. He also served as director of the McGill Redmen Hockey School for four years. In 2004, the 6-foot-6 rearguard took part in CBC's Making The Cut reality-TV show.