The Montreal Canadiens organization shared sobering news on Saturday, November 8, 2025, announcing that coaching consultant Roger Grillo is battling cancer.
Team Announces Support for Beloved Coach
In an official statement released Saturday morning, the Canadiens expressed their full support for their colleague. "The Canadiens organization learned in the past weeks that coach consultant Roger Grillo is battling cancer," the team confirmed. "Our thoughts and prayers are with our colleague and our friend. We stand with him and his loved ones during his fight. We fight for Roger."
Grillo's Distinguished Coaching Career
The 61-year-old coach joined the Canadiens organization in September 2024 ahead of the 2024-25 season. His connection to current Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis dates back decades to their time together at the University of Vermont.
During St. Louis's four-year playing career at Vermont starting in 1993-94, Grillo served as an assistant coach under head coach Mike Gilligan. Their professional paths crossed again when St. Louis brought Grillo into the Canadiens organization.
Extensive Experience Across Hockey World
Following St. Louis's final season at Vermont in 1996-97, Grillo moved to Brown University where he served as head coach for twelve seasons until 2008-09. His coaching journey then took him to USA Hockey, where he began as a regional manager of the American Development Model in 2009 before being promoted to director of player development in 2022.
Grillo's impressive resume includes coaching at USA Hockey player development camps, lecturing at coaching clinics, and serving as head coach of the 2006 and 2007 U.S. Under-18 Select teams that competed at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. He also led the American Hockey Coaches Association as president from 2003 to 2005.
St. Louis's Vision for Grillo's Role
Earlier this year, St. Louis explained why he brought Grillo into the Canadiens organization. "Roger's an older guy," St. Louis noted. "We have a young staff so Roger's an older guy and has a lot of wisdom. I think he's helped us in staying organized in the war room."
The Canadiens coach elaborated on Grillo's organizational value, saying "Whether it's in the practice and how we log everything. I feel we have a lot of content with our thoughts, our ideas, or how we do things. I feel Roger is kind of the jar that holds that ... kind of keeps it all together. That's what I was envisioning. Having a jar that could keep it all together."
The entire hockey community now stands with Grillo as he faces his most personal challenge yet, with the Canadiens organization vowing to support him throughout his cancer treatment and recovery.
