Jacques Demers
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The Honourable Jacques Demers |
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| Senator for Rigaud, Quebec | |
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Assumed office August 27, 2009 |
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| Nominated by | Stephen Harper |
| Appointed by | Michaëlle Jean |
| Preceded by | Yoine Goldstein |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
August 25, 1944 Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Political party | Independent Senators Group |
| Other political affiliations |
Conservative (2009–2015) |
| Spouse(s) | Deborah Anderson |
| Children | 4 |
Jacques Demers (born August 25, 1944) is a Canadian Senator, former broadcaster and former professional ice hockey head coach. After a lengthy coaching career in the World Hockey Association and in the National Hockey League, Demers became an analyst for Montreal Canadiens games on RDS. On August 27, 2009, he was nominated by Prime Minister Stephen Harper to fill the Canadian Senate seat vacated by Yoine Goldstein. Senator Demers represented the Conservative Party in the Senate until December 2015 when he resigned from the Conservative caucus in order to sit as an Independent.
Two of the franchises Demers coached in the WHA were the Chicago Cougars and the Quebec Nordiques. Additionally, he was the exceedingly popular coach of the Indianapolis Racers, which won the Eastern Division championship under his guidance. Demers had the opportunity to coach Wayne Gretzky in the 1979 WHA All-Star Series. The format of the series was a three-game set that pitted the WHA All-Stars against HC Moscow Dynamo. Demers asked Gordie Howe if it was okay to put him on a line with Wayne Gretzky and his son Mark Howe. In Game One, the line scored seven points as the WHA All-Stars won by a score of 4–2. In Game Two, Gretzky and Mark Howe each scored a goal and Gordie Howe picked up an assist as the WHA won 4–2. The line did not score in the final game, but the WHA won by a score of 4–3.
While in the NHL, he coached the Quebec Nordiques, St. Louis Blues, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning. He won two consecutive Jack Adams Awards as NHL Coach of the Year, with Detroit in both 1987 and 1988. He is the only person to win the award in consecutive years. He was also responsible for naming longtime Red Wing Steve Yzerman as team captain. In 1993, he led Montreal to its most recent Stanley Cup. Only two years later, however, the Canadiens missed the playoffs altogether for the first time since 1970. After an 0-5 start to the 1995-96 season, Demers was fired.
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