Patrick Roy steps down as Remparts coach/GM after guiding team to Memorial Cup

QUEBEC — Patrick Roy has resigned as general manager and head coach of the Quebec Remparts just over a week after the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League team won the Memorial Cup. 

Roy, a Hall of Fame goaltender who coached the Remparts for 13 seasons over two stints, made the announcement Tuesday in a press conference at the Quebec City’s Videotron Centre, where the Remparts play their home games. 

Roy’s longtime partner and friend, Jacques Tanguay, also resigned as the team’s president. 

Roy had indicated last summer that he would leave his head coaching duties after the 2022-23 QMJHL season, but said he had time for more reflection on his future after winning his second Memorial Cup. 

The Remparts thumped the Western Hockey League’s Seattle Thunderbirds 5-0 on June 4 in the final of the elite major junior hockey tournament. 

“In life, you must be able to leave at the right time,” the four-time Stanley Cup champion with the Montreal Canadiens and Colorado Avalanche, said Tuesday. “Today, I can leave my positions and say ‘Mission accomplished.’” 

Roy, along with Tanguay and local businessman Michel Cardin, bought the league’s Beauport Harfangs, who had trouble drawing fans in suburban Quebec City, during the 1996-97 QMJHL season. 

The owners had an eye to bring junior hockey back to Quebec City proper after the original Remparts, founded in 1969, left the city in 1985. The Harfangs were renamed the Remparts for the 1997-98 season and moved to Laval University’s campus. 

“The Remparts have won back the hearts of the hockey fans in the city,” said Roy. 

Tanguay said Roy, who was still with the Avalanche when he became co-owner of the team, brought a passion to the group that was contagious to everyone involved. 

“He was in Colorado and was saying ‘Send me the tapes of the games,’” Tanguay said. “He would analyze the tapes and would call the coaches and say ‘Let’s try this’ or ‘Can you input this to the team.’ 

“Patrick was as passionate on Day 1 than on his last day behind the bench.” 

Roy took over as head coach of the Remparts for the 2005-06 season and lead the team to a Memorial Cup title that year. 

He left the team after the 2012-13 season when he joined the Avalanche as head coach and vice president of hockey operations. After three years with the Avalanche, he resigned in 2016. 

He rejoined the Remparts as head coach and GM in 2018. 

While Roy is now a free agent, he said he hasn’t yet had an offer from an NHL club. 

But Roy, who won the Jack Adams award as NHL coach of the year with Colorado in 2014, has not closed the door on a return to the NHL. 

He said he has met Michael Andlauer before. It was announced Tuesday that the Toronto businessman and minority owner of the Montreal Canadiens has an agreement in principle in place to buy the Ottawa Senators. 

“He was at the table when I interviewed for the head coaching job in Montreal,” Roy said. 

But for now, Roy will join Tanguay on a golfing trip that will bring the duo to Scotland, Ireland, and Italy. 

“After that, we’ll see what happens,” said Roy with a smile.  

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2023.

Luc Lang, The Canadian Press