For the first time since his arrival behind the bench of the Montreal Canadiens, Martin St-Louis revealed a barely veiled criticism of his general manager, Kent Hughes.
And all of this was skillfully orchestrated by journalist Martin McGuire, who knew very well what he was doing by raising the Sean Monahan issue.
During his press briefing, St-Louis was scathing in discussing the importance of Monahan for the Canadian, especially in the current context of a young and learning team.
He described Monahan as a player “capable of playing in different situations” and above all as a natural leader.
“He is what we needed with all our young people. He ticked a lot of boxes for us. »
These words are heavy with innuendo. They send a clear message: St-Louis openly regrets the loss of a player who could have filled a glaring void in the Montreal locker room.
With a team sorely lacking veterans to guide the young talent, Monahan would have been a vital leader for a floundering Chamber.
When Kent Hughes dealt Monahan to the Winnipeg Jets last February in exchange for a draft pick, the move seemed logical on paper.
After all, Monahan had a high value, and the organization was able to select Michael Hage, an NCAA prospect increasingly compared to a prodigy.
But in the reality of the current season, Monahan’s absence is felt heavily. Above all, the CH had the chance to sign him on the free agent market.
While the Canadian struggles to find a balance between his young players and his few veterans, Monahan flourishes in Columbus, where he leads the first line with Russians like Dmitri Voronkov and Kirill Marchenko.
According to David Savard, his former teammate, Monahan has become the perfect example for young players.
“He’s a guy who has the perfect work ethic. He was liked by everyone. »
“He kind of did the same thing here that he’s doing right now in Columbus. He brings everyone on board, so to speak. In the old days, it wasn’t always like that, veterans helping young people.”
“He’s a great example. He makes sure everyone feels good in the locker room and that everyone is part of the team. It’s nice to see he takes that role to heart .”
These statements highlight the extent to which Monahan was a stabilizing element for the CH, on the ice and in the locker room. And they accentuate the obvious: his absence leaves a void that is difficult to fill.
By subtly slipping in a criticism of the lack of veterans in the squad, St-Louis touched a sensitive point for Kent Hughes, who built this team by focusing on massive rejuvenation.
The coach’s statement, emphasizing that “we can’t have enough veterans”, almost sounds like a challenge to the GM.
“We’re definitely young. You can’t have enough veterans. You can even less have too many veterans. It’s a balance. »
This is when St. Louis was merciless to Hughes.
“There are some of these guys, but there aren’t many.”
St-Louis wanted to send the direct message that when you have a player like Monahan, you do everything to sign him, especially since his first choice was to return to Montreal this summer.
A balance, certainly, but a balance that Hughes clearly did not find. The current leadership choices — Josh Anderson, Brendan Gallagher, Mike Matheson and Joel Armia — are struggling to make up for Monahan’s departure. And St-Louis did not hesitate to remind us of this indirectly.
In addition to transactions and waivers, several experienced attackers without a contract could meet the needs of the CH.
Names like Blake Wheeler, Phil Kessel, Cal Clutterbuck and Sam Gagner are mentioned by TVA Sports to help CH, but Hughes does not seem interested. For what ? It’s a question that St. Louis, and fans alike, might ask themselves.
But the answer is loud and clear: Hughes wants the cellar and the best possible draft pick.
St-Louis, who repeated that “the veteran will take ice time or delay the progress of a player”, himself seems lost on the strategy to adopt.
But by recalling the importance of players like Monahan, he sends a clear message: CH needs more maturity and leadership to supervise its young people.
These emerging tensions between the coach and the CEO could well herald a deeper divide within the organization.
As firing rumors begin to surround St. Louis, his obvious criticism of Hughes may not work in his favor.
After all, a coach who starts pointing fingers at his GM is often in an ejection seat.
But the responsibility does not rest solely on the shoulders of St. Louis. If the CH continues to stagnate, or even regress, Kent Hughes will also have to answer for his decisions.
The Sean Monahan trade, while seemingly wise in the short term, could stand as a glaring example of miscalculated long-term vision.
The tension is felt in Montreal, and it is clear that the CH organization is at a pivotal moment. Martin St-Louis has already chosen their camp:
“Monahan should have stayed.”
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