What’s going on with Martin St-Louis?
The coach of the Montreal Canadiens, once adored for his charisma and his vision of the game, seems increasingly disoriented when he speaks to the media.
His speech, already hesitant, today turns confused and incomprehensible.
The latest exchanges left an impression of unease for the journalists present, but also for the supporters.
In his recent media appearances, St. Louis has lost himself in foggy metaphors, constantly repeating that “the NHL is not an easy league” and that “there are sticks everywhere.” »
Here is the most awkward extract:
But what exactly is he talking about? We come to wonder if the Canadiens coach still manages to keep the thread in his own explanations.
He then wanted to comment on the fact that Cole Caufield wasn’t shooting enough:
“It’s how you play the game without the puck to get those touches in the scoring spots. Sometimes it’s next to the net. Sometimes it’s above the dowries. But it’s about playing the game. »
This vague response leaves a feeling of vagueness surrounding his speech. Instead of a precise and inspiring analysis, we have the impression that he is sailing as if he were lost at sea, without real conviction or direction.
His way of explaining Caufield’s offensive game rather left a bitter taste of confusion.
The height of unease was reached when an English-speaking journalist, seemingly as mixed up as a deck of cards, dared to ask a puzzling question:
“Coach, how do you explain the team’s success this season? »
Silence…(here is the excerpt, still as uncomfortable as ever)
A question that might have made you smile, if the situation wasn’t so embarrassing. Visibly disturbed, St-Louis replied, in a whisper, that he could under no circumstances speak of “success” in this season.
“I wouldn’t say we were a successful team. I think the commitment on the defensive end helped us fight. »
His words, although intended to defend the efforts of his players, only amplified the idea of a team in search of benchmarks, led by a coach himself in full search of direction.
The silence that followed was uncomfortable as can be; the team is mired in a series of defeats and the coach seemed disconnected from the reality of his own players.
This kind of moment raises a crucial question: Does Martin St-Louis still have the confidence and mental clarity necessary to guide this team?
Certainly, the coach has often defended his methods and his choices, recalling that it was only a step in the reconstruction. But still!
When a coach uses inconsistent expressions and constantly repeats banalities, it becomes worrying.
The fans are worried, and they no longer hesitate to share their frustration. This disorganized and vague vision that St. Louis offers to the public contrasts severely with the image of the great player that he was.
This media malaise is not trivial, and many are wondering if the coach still has his head in his position – or if, in his own words, “the sticks everywhere” have not become too heavy to manage .
For St-Louis, this moment of vulnerability could well mark the beginning of a broader questioning.
We feel him running out of steam, and even the patience of the supporters is starting to crumble.
If the Canadiens coach does not quickly find a clearer direction for his team – and for himself – the discomfort could well become too great.
Fortunately for him, journalists are still afraid of him and are always at his feet.
St. Louis can count itself lucky that the media are subject to him.
Otherwise, confused as he is, he would get eaten whole.
