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| - The Canadiens announced Jacques Martin as their new head coach to replace Guy Carbonneau. Martin, the former coach and general manager of the Florida Panthers, and former coach of the Ottawa Senators and St. Louis Blues, is known for his defense-first style. At the Entry Draft, this year held in Montreal at the Bell Centre, the Canadiens made Louis Leblanc their first-round pick. The pick was notable as it was the Canadiens' first first-round pick of a francophone since the team picked Eric Chouinard in the 1998 Entry Draft. Leblanc was born in the Montreal suburb of Kirkland, Quebec.
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abstract
| - The Canadiens announced Jacques Martin as their new head coach to replace Guy Carbonneau. Martin, the former coach and general manager of the Florida Panthers, and former coach of the Ottawa Senators and St. Louis Blues, is known for his defense-first style. On June 20, the Canadiens announced that owner George Gillett had reached an agreement to sell his 80% share of the team, the Bell Centre and the Gillett concert promotion company to Geoffrey, Justin and Andrew Molson. This represents the third time that the hockey club will be owned by the Molson family, which owned it from 1957 to 1971 and from 1978 to 2001. The purchase price was not disclosed but was estimated at between $506 and 537 million. The deal was approved by the NHL board of governors on December 1. At the Entry Draft, this year held in Montreal at the Bell Centre, the Canadiens made Louis Leblanc their first-round pick. The pick was notable as it was the Canadiens' first first-round pick of a francophone since the team picked Eric Chouinard in the 1998 Entry Draft. Leblanc was born in the Montreal suburb of Kirkland, Quebec. General Manager Bob Gainey pursued a policy of change for the lineup. Prior to free agency, he traded for top center Scott Gomez in a seven-player deal from the New York Rangers. In free agency, the Canadiens signed Gomez's former New Jersey linemate Brian Gionta, high-scoring Calgary Flames forward Mike Cammalleri, checking line winger Travis Moen, and three defencemen: Hal Gill from Pittsburgh Penguins, Jaroslav Spacek from Buffalo Sabres, and Paul Mara from New York Rangers. Captain Saku Koivu was not offered a contract and instead signed with Anaheim Ducks. Alexei Kovalev turned down a contract and signed with Ottawa Senators. Mike Komisarek signed with Toronto Maple Leafs and Tom Kostopoulos signed with Carolina Hurricanes.
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