The Montreal Canadiens have relieved goaltending coach Eric Raymond of his duties, announcing the change on Wednesday. Marco Marciano, who was the goalie coach for the Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League (AHL), will take over on an interim basis for the remainder of the season.

The Canadiens' President of Hockey Operations, Jeff Gorton, addressed the situation, stating that it was "an organizational decision" to bring in a new voice. He acknowledged Raymond's contributions to the team and successes with the goalies during his tenure, which began in the 2021-22 season.

Montreal's goaltending has been shaky this season, prompting the change. The Canadiens' goaltenders, Jakub Dobes, Samuel Montembeault, and Jacob Fowler, have a combined save percentage of .884, ranking 28th in the league. Last year, Montembeault had a strong season, earning him a spot on Team Canada for the 4 Nations Face-Off. In 60 starts and two relief appearances, he posted a 31-24-7 record, a .901 save percentage, and a 2.82 goals-against average. This season, however, Montembeault has a .868 save percentage and a 3.46 goals-against average. Rookie Jakub Dobes has also seen his numbers decline after being named the NHL's third star of the month in October.

Gorton expressed confidence in Marciano, highlighting his history with the Canadiens' goalies and his track record of success. He also noted that there has been interest in Marciano from other teams around the league. Marciano's prior experience with the organization includes time as a video coach for the Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL) starting in 2013, assistant goalie coach for the St. John's Ice Caps in 2015, and goalie and video coach for the Laval Rocket beginning in 2017. Marciano also has experience on the international stage, helping the National Women's Team win gold at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

The Canadiens are currently in a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The New York Islanders made a similar move earlier this season, firing Pierre Greco and replacing him with Sergei Naumovs. Since the change, Islanders goalies Ilya Sorokin and David Rittich have combined for a .907 save percentage over the past 46 games, a significant improvement from their previous .880. The Canadiens hope that Marciano's appointment will have a similar positive impact on their goaltending situation.