Before the Montreal Canadiens took on the Dallas Stars on Thursday night in what was coach Martin St-Louis’ 300th game at the helm of the team, the coach gave an exclusive interview to French sports network RDS, and he had some interesting things to say.
Since becoming the coach of the most storied franchise in hockey, the Laval native has compiled a 125-136-39 record and has greatly righted the ship. Still, when asked why he’s succeeding where numerous star players have failed (think, for instance, of Wayne Gretzky), St-Louis instantly replied, “What’s succeeding? I haven’t done anything yet.” As humble as ever, he explained that it’s too early to assess his work and that once he moves on, if he’s left the organization in a better position than when he came aboard, he will have succeeded. For now, he’s happy with where they are, but that’s it.
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Speaking about the current state of his team, he reports that they have a good idea of how they want to play the game on both sides of the puck and that they’ve set their own expectations, even though they’ve managed to block out the outside noise and expectations. He’s proud of the progress accomplished so far, but he cannot pinpoint one thing that stands out or one player. For him, it’s been a collective process; everyone’s improvement has allowed the team to be where it is now.
Asked specifically about Cole Caufield, he states that he’s proud of him, that it’s been an excellent progression, and that, if you go back 250 games, he’s not the same player. While he still finds the back of the net, now he can play a 200-foot game and face any match-up that’s thrown his way. For the Canadiens’ coach, a person who plays hockey becomes a hockey player when they can do what the game demands of them on the ice, rather than just what they like to do.
The bench boss had plenty to say about his captain, Nick Suzuki. He praised the 26-year-old not only for his play but also for the way he leads by example on the ice and for his growth in his leadership role. He was never told how to lead, but he found his own way and confidence in the role.
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Even if it was a short interview, it was worth watching. St-Louis always has interesting things to say, and what you see is what you get with the Canadiens’ coach.
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