When the early days of Randy Cunneyworth's tenure as interim head coach of the Montreal Canadiens were filled with controversy over his ability to speak French - or, more accurately, his lack thereof - it was a likely sign that the combination of coach and team wasn't built to last particularly long.
When general manager Pierre Gauthier announced during the season that Cunneyworth would not be considered for a permanent decision, it didn't make the situation any better. So, it was only natural to learn Wednesday that Cunneyworth will not stay on in Montreal under new head coach Michel Therrien.
Gauthier and fellow assistant Randy Ladoceur were fired Wednesday by the Habs, one day after Therrien was hired for his second tenure as head coach of the Bleu, Blanc et Rouge. Cunneyworth, who went 18-23-9 as interim head coach after taking over for Jacques Martin, was in his first season with the team, while Ladoceur was in his second season with the organization after spending the 2010-11 season as an assistant with the team's AHL affiliate in Hamilton, Ontario.
The move may read as a negative reflection on Cunneyworth and Ladoceur, but it's really best for all involved. Cunneyworth coached 50 games in a painfully awkward situation in Montreal, and as an experienced AHL head coach who just wrapped up his second NHL stint, he'll definitely benefit from being part of a more stable organization elsewhere. The same is true of Ladoceur, a veteran of more than 900 NHL games with the Red Wings, Whalers and Ducks who has 11 seasons of NHL experience as a head coach (not to mention stints in the AHL and junior hockey).
As for the Canadiens, they need to move on from the disastrous Gauthier era, and that means cutting ties with good hockey men like Cunneyworth and Ladoceur. It's also only natural that Therrien would want to start over with his own staff, and have as few reminders as possible of the team's recent unrest. The question now is what shape the Canadiens will take going forward.
