BREAKING NEWS: Canadiens Make Drastic Decision On Head Coach Martin St. Louis’ Future
The Montreal Canadiens have chosen to exercise the team option on head coach Martin St. Louis’ contract. On April 17, the Canadiens announced their decision to extend St. Louis’ tenure as head coach by picking up the two-year option on his deal. St. Louis, who took over as interim head coach on February 9, 2022, replacing Dominique Ducharme, was officially named full-time head coach on June 1, 2022, marking the completion of his second full season with the Canadiens.
While St. Louis had one year remaining on his contract, the Canadiens have opted to activate the option for an additional two seasons, ensuring his presence as head coach for a total of three seasons.
Martin St. Louis, asked about going into the last year of his contract: “I’ll be here as long as they’ll have me.”
— Eric Engels (@EricEngels) April 17, 2024
Montreal general manager Kent Hughes highlighted St. Louis’ humility and willingness to continually improve as a coach. He emphasized St. Louis’ ability to reflect on his coaching methods and collaborate with the analytics team to address any deficiencies identified through data analysis. Hughes expressed confidence in St. Louis and the coaching staff’s dedication to resolving issues that arise.
Echoing this sentiment, Canadiens executive vice president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton praised St. Louis’ continuous growth and expressed satisfaction with his leadership. Gorton emphasized St. Louis’ impressive qualities and affirmed that he is the ideal fit for the team’s objectives. He reiterated the organization’s pride in having St. Louis as the face of the franchise and affirmed their ongoing support for him.
This decision follows St. Louis’ recent year-end press conference, during which he expressed his desire to continue leading the Canadiens as head coach in the foreseeable future.
Since assuming the role of head coach in Montreal, St. Louis has accumulated a record of 75 wins, 100 losses, and 26 overtime or shootout losses.
The Canadiens concluded their season on April 16 with a shootout defeat against the Detroit Red Wings. Their final regular-season record stood at 30 wins, 36 losses, and 16 overtime or shootout losses. Unfortunately, this placed them in 15th position in the Eastern Conference, leading to their absence from the playoffs.
Canadiens Fans Excited For Martin St. Louis To Be Back
Fans expressed their enthusiasm and support for Martin St. Louis following the announcement that his contract had been extended. Despite the Canadiens’ failure to reach the playoffs during St. Louis’ tenure as head coach, many fans believe in his abilities and are optimistic about the team’s future under his leadership.
“Great news! Marty and the guys are gonna be cookin’ next season,” exclaimed one fan, reflecting the excitement among supporters.
“Amazing!! Glad he’s staying,” echoed another fan, indicating widespread approval of the decision to retain St. Louis.
While acknowledging the team’s playoff absence, fans emphasized their confidence in St. Louis’ coaching abilities, especially considering Montreal’s youthful roster.
Martin St. Louis, asked about going into the last year of his contract: “I’ll be here as long as they’ll have me.”
— Eric Engels (@EricEngels) April 17, 2024
“Cant wait to see Marty in the playoffs,” expressed one fan, highlighting the anticipation for future success under St. Louis’ guidance.
“He needs to be back for the next 13 seasons, but good work anyway!” exclaimed another fan, illustrating strong faith in St. Louis’ long-term potential as the Canadiens’ head coach.
Canadiens Enter Off-Season With Key Players Under Contract
As the off-season begins, Montreal finds itself in a relatively stable position with the majority of their key players already under contract.
Marty leading us to greatness
— Chris (@chrisstilwell16) April 17, 2024
With only Tanner Pearson and Colin White as pending unrestricted free agents, the Canadiens have limited personnel decisions to make in that regard. Additionally, they have restricted free agents Arber Xhekaj and Jesse Ylonen, whose contract negotiations will likely be a priority to secure their talents for the future.
This is FANTASTIC!!! MSL is doing great things with the young core players for the #GoHabsGo
— King_of_the_Habs83 (@KHabs83) April 17, 2024
The Canadiens also possess a valuable asset in the form of two first-round picks in the upcoming 2024 NHL Draft. These picks offer Montreal an opportunity to further bolster their already promising young core, potentially adding talent that can contribute to their continued development and success.