By the end of the 1980-81 season, Claude Ruel resigned from his head coach position to return to the more familiar surroundings of talent evaluation, and the search was on for his replacement. Rumoured names included Ruel’s assistant coach, Jacques Laperrière, freshly-retired Serge Savard, Jacques Demers, and, yes, even Don Cherry who coached Team Canada at the World Championships that summer that included Guy Lafleur and Larry Robinson. Earlier in the season, Cherry famously said, “I would have my own hand cut off to coach the Canadiens.” But whoever was selected as head coach, they would certainly need an assistant.