Martin St-Louis' future in Montreal: he has surprised many

Indeed, many journalists covering the Canadiens suggested that the Quebec native was with the team only to advance the rebuilding process, but that a more experienced head coach would take over once the CH was ready to compete with the top teams in the NHL.

This hypothesis proved to be unfounded on Wednesday morning, as Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton exercised the option in his contract, thereby guaranteeing his presence with the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge for the next three seasons. In my opinion, this is an excellent decision, especially considering the remarkable progress made by the team's young players.

Moreover, during his end-of-season press conference, St-Louis made a very interesting statement. Although many fans feared he might want to end his tenure with the CH to return to his family, especially after recent events involving his son Mason, MSL confirmed that he is in Montreal to stay.

It's truly refreshing to hear such a revelation from our head coach. We know how demanding the Montreal market can be, and it must not always be easy to face the questions from journalists, especially when the team is struggling.

Despite everything, his passion and desire to improve the team are so great that he can't see himself anywhere other than behind the bench of the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge.

If the organization was accustomed to frequently changing head coaches in the past, this era now seems to be over. The management team, consisting of Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton, has full confidence that Martin St-Louis is the right man for the job. Furthermore, hearing the players talk during their end-of-season reviews, they also hold him in very high regard, which can only be promising for the future.

Even though the season has only just ended a few days ago, I am already looking forward to the 2024-2025 season taking off. I am convinced that with the coaching staff and the group of players in place, the Montreal Canadiens could potentially aim for a playoff spot next year, especially if Kent Hughes manages to acquire a top forward this summer.

Certainly, the rebuilding process initiated by Jeff Gorton seems to be heading in the right direction, and everything suggests that the team will make a significant step forward next season.

Credit Habs et LNH:
Départ plus tôt: Martin St-Louis fait une grosse confession