For 41 years, Jacques Martin has been running a hockey school for young players across Ontario and Quebec.
The former Ottawa Senators bench boss was running his famed hockey school in Hawkesbury, but it has since moved, and now operates at Collège Bourget in Rigaud.
“It’s great here, and the facilities are beautiful,” said Martin, who sat down with The Vision earlier this month. “I believe we are giving the kids the proper tools and guidance and giving them a fun experience they will remember.”
While an ongoing shoulder problem keeps him from physically participating and drills with the kids, Martin is still active and present on the college grounds during the two weeks that the school runs, which is usually between the last week of July and first week of August.
The hockey school has earned the reputation for being one of the top, if not, the finest hockey school in Ontario and Quebec, and Martin praises his staff, which includes family members and people he has met through his coaching journey, for helping the kids development.
“It’s my name that’s on the school, but the team I have is there working with the kids, talking with them and working with them on the ice and off the ice too,” said Martin, a two-time Stanley Cup winner as an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins. “We want the kids leaving her having learned something, but also, we want them to have fun.”
Coaching journey
Martin dreamed about playing hockey while growing up in St. Pascal-Baylon, but he caught the coaching bug while teaching at Algonquin College, during which he coached the Rockland Nationals and Hawkesbury Hawks junior teams.
He started coaching in the OHL, as an assistant with Peterborough Petes and later as head coach of the Guelph Platers.
Martin began his NHL coaching journey with St. Louis Blues in 1986, when he was hired as the team’s head coach. He has also served as head coach of the Montreal Canadiens, the Florida Panthers (where he was also the team’s general manager) and most notably, the Ottawa Senators.
While he became a two-time Stanley Cup champion as an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins Martin wishes he could have won a Stanley Cup with the Senators.
Martin recalls the players he had the privilege of coaching during his tenure with Ottawa, which included the likes of Daniel Alfredsson, Dany Heatly, Jason Spezza, Marián Hossa, Martin Havlat, and many, many more.
“We had really great teams, great talent, lots of depth,” said Martin, who was an assistant coach with the Quebec Nordiques and retained his position when the team became the Colorado Avalanche, the New York Rangers and the Chicago Blackhawks. “We came close, but it just never happened. I really wanted to win for the city and its fans, they were great to us for many years. Ottawa will always be special for me.”
Martin returned to the Ottawa Senators as interim head coach during the 2023-2024 season after D.J. Smith was fired. Alfredsson joined Martin behind the bench as an assistant.
Bringing the Cup home
After the Penguins won the cup in back-to-back seasons in 2016 and 2017, Martin was able to celebrate with residents across Clarence-Rockland when he brought the Cup back to St. Pascal-Baylon.
He was happy to share the moment with friends, families, and residents who wanted to be part of the moment.
“It was a great time, and a great moment for the community,” said Martin. “It was in that community where it all started for me and where I fell in love with hockey. The people there, and the relationships I made, I will always cherish.”
He was recently honoured by the community in St. Pascal-Baylon, who unveiled a mural that details the area’s rich history and traditions. Martin is featured on the mural, which is located at the Ronald Lalonde Community Centre.
“It’s a beautiful mural, and special to be part of it,” said Martin. “It really captures what the community is about.”
At peace with his coaching career
While Martin said bringing a Cup back to Ottawa was something he really wanted to accomplish, he is happy with how his coaching journey turned out.
He has no itch to get back behind the bench and wishes Ottawa’s new coaching staff all the best with a new hockey season around the corner.
“It (his coaching career) wasn’t perfect and there were many bumps along the way, but I felt like I was able to accomplish everything I wanted to do,” said Martin. “I was able to be part of some great times, coached some great players and won the Stanley Cup.”
Martin now serves as an advisor with the Ottawa Senators.
