Jean-François Houle (born January 14, 1975) is a Canadian former ice hockey player and current professional coach. He is presently the head coach of the Clarkson Golden Knights, a team competing in the ECAC Hockey conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).[1][2]
| Jean-François Houle | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
January 14, 1975 Charlesbourg, Quebec, Canada | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) | ||
| Weight | 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb) | ||
| Position | Left wing | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for |
AHL Fredericton Canadiens Cincinnati Mighty Ducks ECHL New Orleans Brass Tallahassee Tiger Sharks | ||
| NHL draft |
99th overall, 1993 Montreal Canadiens | ||
| Playing career |
1997–2002 Coaching career | ||
| Current position | |||
| Title | Head coach | ||
| Team | Clarkson | ||
| Conference | ECAC Hockey | ||
| Record | 35–24–4 (.587) | ||
| Biographical details | |||
| Alma mater | Clarkson University | ||
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |||
| 2003–2010 | Clarkson (asst.) | ||
| 2010–2011 | Lewiston MAINEiacs | ||
| 2011–2014 | Blainville-Boisbriand Armada | ||
| 2014–2021 | Bakersfield Condors (asst.) | ||
| 2021–2024 | Laval Rocket | ||
| 2024–present | Clarkson | ||
| Head coaching record | |||
| Overall | 35–24–4 (.587) | ||
| Accomplishments and honors | |||
| Awards | |||
Collegiate career
editHoule attended Clarkson University, where he competed at the NCAA Division I level as a member of the Clarkson Golden Knights men's ice hockey team. During his time there, he developed his skills and gained valuable experience, which led to his selection by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1993 NHL entry draft. He was picked in the fourth round as the 99th overall choice.[3]
Coaching career
editIn 2002, after concluding a five-year professional playing career, Houle returned to the Clarkson Golden Knights to serve as an assistant coach. In 2010, he became the head coach of the Lewiston MAINEiacs in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), and the following season, he took on the same role with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.[4]
Houle served as the head coach of the Bakersfield Condors in their final season in the ECHL.[5] Following that, he was hired by the Edmonton Oilers as an assistant coach for their relocated AHL affiliate, which became the Bakersfield Condors in 2015.[6] He held that position until 2021, when he transitioned to the Laval Rocket.[7]
Personal life
editHoule is the son of Réjean Houle, a notable figure in hockey who spent many years as a forward with the Montreal Canadiens before transitioning into a leadership role as the team's general manager.[8]
Career statistics
editRegular season and playoffs
edit| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1993–94 | Clarkson University | ECAC | 34 | 6 | 19 | 25 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1994–95 | Clarkson University | ECAC | 34 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995–96 | Clarkson University | ECAC | 38 | 14 | 14 | 28 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1996–97 | Clarkson University | ECAC | 37 | 21 | 37 | 58 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997–98 | New Orleans Brass | ECHL | 53 | 25 | 37 | 62 | 119 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 16 | ||
| 1997–98 | Fredericton Canadiens | AHL | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | Fredericton Canadiens | AHL | 62 | 7 | 22 | 29 | 101 | 12 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 10 | ||
| 1999–00 | Cincinnati Mighty Ducks | AHL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–00 | Tallahassee Tiger Sharks | ECHL | 55 | 18 | 30 | 48 | 71 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Tallahassee Tiger Sharks | ECHL | 56 | 12 | 34 | 46 | 92 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | New Orleans Brass | ECHL | 52 | 21 | 25 | 46 | 106 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| AHL totals | 72 | 8 | 22 | 30 | 111 | 12 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 10 | ||||
| ECHL totals | 216 | 76 | 126 | 202 | 388 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 16 | ||||
| NCAA totals | 143 | 49 | 81 | 130 | 148 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
Head coaching record
edit| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarkson Golden Knights (ECAC Hockey) (2024–present) | |||||||||
| 2024–25 | Clarkson | 24–12–3 | 15–6–1 | 2nd | ECAC Runner-up | ||||
| 2025–26 | Clarkson | 18-17-3 | 9-10-3 | 8th | ECAC Semifinalist | ||||
| Clarkson: | 35–24–4 | 20–12–2 | |||||||
| Total: | 53–41–7 | ||||||||
|
National champion
Postseason invitational champion
| |||||||||
Awards and honours
edit| Award | Year | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| College | ||
| All-ECAC Hockey Rookie Team | 1994 | [9] |
| ECAC Hockey All-Tournament Team | 1997 | [10] |
| QMJHL | ||
| Ron Lapointe Trophy - QMJHL Coach of the Year | 2012 | [11] |
References
edit- ↑ "Laval Rocket and Jean-François Houle mutually agree to part ways". Montreal Canadiens. June 21, 2024. Retrieved June 21, 2024 – via NHL.com.
- ↑ "Knights name JF Houle as next Men's Hockey Coach". Clarkson University Athletics. June 21, 2024. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
- ↑ "ALL-TIME KNIGHTS - JEAN-FRANCOIS HOULE". Clarkson University Athletics. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
- ↑ "Jean-François Houle sera l'entraîneur de l'Armada de Blainville-Boisbriand" [Jean-François Houle will be the coach of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada]. La Presse (in French). August 1, 2011. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
- ↑ "Jean-François Houle named head coach". Retrieved July 23, 2014.
- ↑ Cowan, Stu (June 3, 2020). "Oilers' AHL farm team will have strong Montreal connection behind bench". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
- ↑ "Houle named Laval Rocket Head Coach". Retrieved June 21, 2024.
- ↑ Cowan, Stu (June 18, 2022). "Stu Cowan: A special Father's Day for Réjean Houle and his family". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
- ↑ "ECAC All-Rookie Teams". College Hockey Historical Archives. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
- ↑ "Awards - NCAA (ECAC) All-Tournament Team". Eliteprospects.com. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
- ↑ "The Golden Puck Awards: recognition of excellence". CHL.ca. April 4, 2012. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
