In his newly-released authorized biography, coach and GM Jaques Demers
admits he never learned to read. The charismatic Quebecois says he hid his disability with
a variety of cover stories. He'd say that, as a French Canadian, his English wasn't very good. He'd say that, after so much time in the United States his French was rusty. He'd say he forgot his glasses. He'd claim to be too busy to read something. These excuses seem to have worked, and you can see how they would. His assistants and underlings would have been much better prepared to believe that Demers was blowing them off than that he couldn't read a contract.
At a launch party for the book, Demers
said "I could read a little bit but I can't write very well. I took to protecting myself. You put a wall around yourself. And when I was given the possibility of talking, I could speak well, and I think that really saved me."
Serge Savard says Demers "fooled everyone. He always had notes with him and he looked like he was writing something."
Demers coached the Quebec Nordiques (1979-'80), St. Louis Blues ('83-'86), Detroit Red Wings ('86-90, during which period he won the Jack Adams Award twice), Montreal Canadiens ('92-96, winning the Stanley Cup in '93) and Tampa Bay Lightning ('97-99).