The message from Martin St-Louis to Lane Hutson, launched on the airwaves of 98.5 FM at the microphone of Mario Langlois, was scathing to say the least.
Without uttering the word “selfish”, St-Louis still subtly criticized its young defender for thinking a little too much about himself and not enough about the team.
Between the lines, it becomes obvious why Hutson was not placed on the first power play unit: his defensive play leaves something to be desired.
“He will have to learn, but he is a very talented player”St-Louis first conceded, before quickly bringing Hutson back to the harsh reality of the NHL.
“As a coach, you have to coach him in the right way. You have to be careful. He has to have the standard of how we play defensively, but you have to give him a little bit of offensive freedom. »
The message is clear: Hutson is brilliant with the puck, but he needs to stop thinking only about his offensive prowess.
He must understand that his decisions on the ice do not only concern his game, but the entire team.
This exit from St-Louis says a lot about the current dynamic between the coach and the young prodigy. Hutson, who was acclaimed for his creative skills throughout camp, his masterful passing and his vision of the game, suddenly found himself called to order.
Yes, he has talent, but the Canadian can’t afford to let defensive holes open up with each dazzling offensive surge from Hutson.
St-Louis, as a good strategist, seeks to temper the offensive enthusiasm of its young defender, and it does not beat around the bush.
“He has to know that the decisions he makes, his decisions take care of the team, not just him”he added, emphasizing the importance of the collective, as if he were to remind Hutson that he cannot afford to play alone in a sport as collective as hockey.
While some saw this comment as simple constructive criticism, others saw it as a warning.
St. Louis isn’t one to let a talented player do whatever he wants. He imposes a standard, and Hutson will have to conform to it.
Let’s be honest and don’t be fooled. St-Louis explains why Hutson is not yet on the first power play unit, despite the fact that the vast majority of fans and observers are clamoring to see him in that position.
Until his defensive play lives up to his coach’s demands, Hutson will have to settle for a smaller role.
For St. Louis, it’s not just about letting a player shine offensively, but making sure he fulfills his responsibilities on both ends of the ice.
Martin St-Louis sent a clear message to Lane Hutson: raw talent is not enough. If Hutson wants to progress and establish himself as a pillar within the Canadiens, he will have to prove that he is capable of fully assuming his defensive responsibilities, and not just making spectacular offensive surges.
By playing more collectively, thinking of the team before himself, Hutson will earn his coach’s trust and, perhaps, end up getting that famous spot on the first power play unit.
But for now, St. Louis is not compromising: he wants a complete player, not a rising star obsessed with his own stats.
The truth is we need that rising star on the first power play unit.
Martin St-Louis went into a confusing speech to justify the failures of his power play, and honestly, it bordered on nonsense.
Instead of recognizing that his plan is non-existent and that his power play lacks bite, he prefers to drown journalists in an avalanche of vague terms with no real direction.
“The numerical advantage is giving them a base and then letting your star players use the principles we talk about all the time”he declared.
But what bases, exactly? After a training camp where the team did not score a single power play goal (0 in 30!), we are entitled to wonder if this “plan” really exists.
And that’s the problem: he just doesn’t have a plan.
St. Louis is trying to sell us the idea that we just have to let our players “read each other”that we need movement with « intentions »but in reality, none of this materializes on the ice.
It’s total chaos on the power play. No clear structure, no coherent strategy. It is not by throwing around vague principles like “move with intentions” that the game will miraculously transform.
If the players themselves don’t know where to position themselves, or how to use space effectively, how can we hope to score?
St-Louis above all seems to be trying to hide the lack of real strategy by trying to make people believe that everything is based on the improvised decisions of the players.
And yet, the solution seems obvious: Lane Hutson. This is where the St. Louis speech loses all credibility. Hutson should be at the center of this famous power play “plan”, the one who could organize, structure and revitalize a game that sorely needs it.
He has all the qualities to occupy this role of quarterback: his vision of the game, his intelligence and his ability to create space are exactly what is needed to unlock an offensive so shameful that we look at the ground when the five-man attack is launched on the ice.
But no, St-Louis prefers to get bogged down in confusing explanations about movement and reading the game, rather than giving the keys to its most talented defender.
Instead of exploiting Hutson’s potential to the fullest, St. Louis continues to subtly criticize him for not being responsible enough defensively.
But that’s not what the team needs right now. They need goals, sparks, creativity. And Hutson is the plan we need, not some pseudo-philosophy on reading the game which, so far, has led nowhere.
Martin St-Louis’ speech on the numerical advantage does not hold water. By talking about intentions, movement and reading the play without really explaining how that actually translates on the ice, he’s only distracting from the real problem: he doesn’t have a clear plan.
And as long as he refuses to put Lane Hutson in charge of the power play, this crucial aspect of the Canadian’s game will continue to slip through the void.
One thing is certain: throwing Lane Hutson under the bus instead of putting him on the train is not going to solve his problems.
