Jacques Demers

For the Canadian weightlifter, see Jacques Demers (weightlifter).

Jacques Demers (born August 25, 1944) is a former 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^[2] until December 2015 when he resigned from the Conservative caucus in order to sit as an Independent.^[3] On his 75th birthday on August 25, 2019, he left his position as Senator.

The Honourable Jacques Demers
Senator for Rigaud, Quebec
In office August 27, 2009 – August 25, 2019
Nominated by	Stephen Harper
Appointed by	Michaëlle Jean
Preceded by	Yoine Goldstein
Personal details
Born	(1944-08-25) August 25, 1944 (age 79) Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Political party	Independent Senators Group
Other political affiliations	Conservative (2009–2015)
Spouse	Deborah Anderson^[1]
Children	4

WHA

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.^[4] In Game One, the line scored seven points as the WHA All-Stars won by a score of 4–2.^[4] In Game Two, Gretzky and Mark Howe each scored a goal and Gordie Howe picked up an assist as the WHA won 4–2.^[4] The line did not score in the final game, but the WHA won by a score of 4–3.

NHL

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.

While in Tampa Bay, he was responsible for guiding Vincent Lecavalier through his first two years in the NHL. He displayed a fatherly attitude toward the young star, often pulling him aside during practice to lecture him in their native French. During the 1998–99 season, he also served as the Lightning's general manager.

In 2007, he was named the 100th most influential personality in hockey by The Hockey News.

Coaching record

NHL

Team	Year	Regular season						Postseason
		G	W	L	T	Pts	Finish	Result
QUE	1979–80	80	25	44	11	61	5th in Adams	Missed playoffs
STL	1983–84	80	32	41	7	71	2nd in Norris	Won in division semi-finals (3-1 vs. DET) Lost in division finals (3-4 vs. MIN)
STL	1984–85	80	37	31	12	86	1st in Norris	Lost in division semi-finals (0-3 vs. MIN)
STL	1985–86	80	37	34	9	83	3rd in Norris	Won in division semi-finals (3-2 vs. MIN) Won in division finals (4-3 vs. TOR) Lost in conference finals (3-4 vs. CGY)
DET	1986–87	80	34	36	10	78	2nd in Norris	Won in division semi-finals (4-0 vs. CHI) Won in division finals (4-3 vs. TOR) Lost in conference finals (1-4 vs. EDM)
DET	1987–88	80	41	28	11	93	1st in Norris	Won in division semi-finals (4-2 vs. TOR) Won in division finals (4-1 vs. STL) Lost in conference finals (1-4 vs. EDM)
DET	1988–89	80	34	34	12	80	1st in Norris	Lost in division semi-finals (2-4 vs. CHI)
DET	1989–90	80	28	38	14	70	5th in Norris	Missed playoffs
MTL	1992–93	84	48	30	6	102	3rd in Adams	Won in division semi-finals (4-2 vs. QUE) Won in division finals (4-0 vs. BUF) Won in conference finals (4-1 vs. NYI) Won Stanley Cup (4-1 vs. LA)
MTL	1993–94	84	41	29	14	96	3rd in Northeast	Lost in conference quarter-finals (3-4 vs. BOS)
MTL	1994–95	48	18	23	7	43	6th in Northeast	Missed playoffs
MTL	1995–96	5	0	5	0	(0)	3rd in Northeast	(fired)
TB	1997–98	63	15	40	8	(44)	7th in Atlantic	Missed playoffs
TB	1998–99	82	19	54	9	47	4th in Southeast	Missed playoffs
Total		1006	409	467	130	954	3 division titles	1 Stanley Cup (55-43, 0.561)

WHA

Team	Year	Regular season						Postseason
		G	W	L	T	Pts	Finish	Result
IND	1975–76	75	34	35	6	74	1st in East	Lost in WHA quarter-finals (3-4 vs. NE)
IND	1976–77	81	36	37	8	80	3rd in East	Won in division semi-finals (4-0 vs. CIN) Lost in division finals (1-4 vs. QUE)
CIN	1977–78	75	33	39	3	(69)	7th in WHA	Fired
QUE	1978–79	80	41	34	5	87	2nd in WHA	Lost in WHA semi-finals (0-4 vs. WPG)
Total		311	144	145	22	310	1 division title	0 Avco Cups (8-12, 0.400)

AHL

Team	Year	Regular season						Postseason
		G	W	L	T	Pts	Finish	Result
FRE	1981–82	80	20	55	5	45	5th in North	Missed playoffs
FRE	1982–83	80	45	27	8	98	1st in North	Won in division semi-finals (4-2 vs. ADK) Lost in division finals (2-4 vs. MNE)
Total		160	65	82	13	143	1 division title	0 Calder Cups (6-6, 0.500)

Literacy struggles

On November 2, 2005, Demers released a biography, written by Mario Leclerc, entitled En toutes lettres (English translation: All Spelled Out), in which he revealed that he is functionally illiterate. According to Demers, he never really learned to read or write because of his abusive childhood in Montreal. He covered for himself by asking secretaries and public relations people to read letters for him, claiming he could not read English well enough to understand them (though he speaks English and French equally well). When he served as general manager of the Lightning, he brought in Cliff Fletcher and Jay Feaster as his assistants; as it turned out, they did most of the work a general manager would normally do because Demers knew he could not do it himself.^[5]

Political career

On August 28, 2009, CBC Radio One reported that Demers was chosen to fill the Senate seat of Yoine Goldstein by Prime Minister Harper. According to the CBC report, he has "raised awareness about literacy issues" by "going public with his own struggles." A series of Montreal residents were interviewed regarding his Senate appointment and they were generally positive about the move. Many noted, however, that it was "important that he learn to read."^[6]

Demers served in the Senate until reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75 on August 25, 2019.

Health

On July 5, 2010, Demers was reported to be in stable condition after undergoing two emergency surgeries.^[7]

Demers was hospitalized after experiencing a stroke in April 2016. He remained in stable condition in a Montreal hospital.^[8]

In October 2016, Demers was hospitalized for a serious infection.^[9]

Since his 2016 stroke, he has been living with aphasia.^[10]

Honours

• In 2010, he was elected as an inaugural inductee into the World Hockey Association Hall of Fame in the coaching category.^[11]
• In 2014, Demers was named the Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of the Canadian Grenadier Guards, a Montreal-based, Canadian Army Primary Reserve infantry unit.^[12]

References

1. "Harper appoints 9 to Senate". The Toronto Star. 27 August 2009.
2. "Jacques Demers to be among Senate appointees". CTV. 27 August 2009. Retrieved 27 August 2009.
3. "Senator Jacques Demers resigns from Conservative caucus, becomes independent Senator | Globalnews.ca".
4. Willes, Ed (2004). The Rebel League: The Short and Unruly Life of the World Hockey Association. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart. p. 221. ISBN 0-7710-8947-3. OCLC 55104983.
5. Former NHL coach Demers admits he's illiterate. ESPN, November 2, 2005.
6. CBC Radio One. Ottawa Morning. 28 August 2009.
7. "Senator Jacques Demers in hospital". CBC News. 5 July 2010. Retrieved 12 July 2010.
8. "Jacques Demers, Quebec senator and ex-NHL coach, hospitalized after stroke | CBC News".
9. "Ex-Habs coach Jacques Demers in stable condition after infection, wife says | CBC News".
10. "Aphasie: «on n'est pas préparé à ça», confie le frère de Jacques Demers".
11. . Archived from the original on 15 January 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
12. Canadian Armed Forces Honoraries

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from The Internet Hockey Database
• Jacques Demers – Parliament of Canada biography

Preceded by Maurice Filion	Head coach of the Quebec Nordiques 1978–80	Succeeded by Maurice Filion
Preceded by Barclay Plager	Head coach of the St. Louis Blues 1983–86	Succeeded by Jacques Martin
Preceded by Brad Park	Head coach of the Detroit Red Wings 1986–90	Succeeded by Bryan Murray
Preceded by Pat Burns	Head coach of the Montreal Canadiens 1992–95	Succeeded by Mario Tremblay
Preceded by Rick Paterson	Head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning 1997–99	Succeeded by Steve Ludzik
Preceded by Phil Esposito	General Manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning 1998–99	Succeeded by Rick Dudley