THE SIDELINES : Paper Reports New Post for Gainey

MONTREAL —  Captain Bob Gainey will leave the Montreal Canadiens before the end of the week to become player-coach of a French hockey team, according to a published report.

“Theoretically, Bob should sign the contract Friday,” Dominique Robanes, an official of the Epinal Ecureuils, said in an interview published today in Le Journal de Montreal. “I’m convinced he will sign before he returns to Montreal.”