The convincing victory of the Montreal Canadiens against the Edmonton Oilers (3-0) was marked by a renewed intensity and collective commitment which had been lacking at the start of the season.
For Dany Dubé, this change of direction is directly linked to a key decision by Martin St-Louis: confronting his star players.
According to information gathered by the 98.5 FM analyst, St-Louis held a series of private meetings and frank discussions with its best players, challenging them to look in the mirror and raise their level of play.
This shift towards hard coaching, a more direct and demanding style, contrasts with the educational and positive approach for which St-Louis was until then known.
Dany Dubé specifies that St-Louis first solidified the defense before tackling its offensive group.
After establishing a tighter structure in his zone, he would have made it clear to his leaders, notably Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, that their performances should reflect their status as impact players.
“Martin St-Louis didn’t just want to point fingers. He decided to put in place a clearer defensive structure, but also to challenge his best players. He confronted them directly and it worked. » said Dubé on 98.5 FM.
Dubé adds that these confrontations, far from being a simple coach-player confrontation, are essential moments to solidify leadership.
This approach coincided with strategic adjustments, notably the reshuffling of trios to revive the attack.
For his part, Martin McGuire offers a different explanation. He believes that Nick Suzuki’s reunion with former captain Shea Weber in Toronto would have played a key role in the young leader’s awareness.
“Nick saw Shea, his former captain, and he said to himself that he had to lead by example before asking others to follow him. This reunion may have rekindled this feeling of responsibility. »
Looking in the mirror would have pushed Suzuki to raise his level of play and drag his teammates along the way. A new atmosphere which, combined with the hard coaching from St-Louis, seems to have borne fruit.
At the same time, goalkeeper Samuel Montembeault regained his form on big nights, making crucial saves at opportune moments.
Dubé drew an interesting parallel when comparing the importance of a goalkeeper’s saves to goals scored in key moments by attackers.
“It’s not just about making saves, it’s about making them at the right time. Montembeault offers this kind of consistency, and that changes everything. »
Montembeault, with his solid performances, gives stability to the team, allowing the players to concentrate on carrying out St-Louis’ instructions.
These last few days perhaps mark a turning point in Martin St-Louis’ career as a coach.
Long criticized for his lack of experience and adaptation, St-Louis shows that he is capable of making difficult decisions and speaking directly to his star players.
Martin McGuire believes this shift was necessary, but warns that the challenge for St. Louis will be to maintain this momentum over the long term.
“Hard coaching is a powerful tool, but you have to dose it well. If you push too much, you risk breaking up relationships. But for now, it’s working, and it shows that Martin St-Louis is growing into his role. »
And now?
While the name of Jim Montgomery, recently fired by the Bruins, still resonates in discussions, the victory against Edmonton offers a little respite to St-Louis and his team.
But the pressure remains immense. Saturday night’s game against the Las Vegas Golden Knights will be another major test of whether this new approach can truly transform the Canadiens’ season.
For now, Martin St-Louis seems to have found a balance between confrontation and inspiration. But the road to redemption is still long.
At least he had the courage to face his stars. It was time.
