The tension between Michel Therrien and Martin St-Louis is not new.
It’s no longer a secret: these two coaches of the Montreal Canadiens have diametrically opposed visions of hockey, and the war of personalities is more intense than ever.
Therrien, known for his rigid and authoritarian approach, has never hidden his resentment towards St-Louis. While Therrien advocated a “No Excuse” during his mandates with the CH, St-Louis seems to have adopted a gentler approach, based on positive motivation and understanding of the players.
This striking difference gave rise to a bitter rivalry, amplified by the fact that St-Louis, despite his lack of coaching experience, quickly won the hearts of the fans, while Therrien, despite success in the playoffs and the the fact that he had to wait a long time in the minors before becoming a coach, never managed to obtain the same popularity.
To understand the origin of Michel Therrien’s jealousy towards Martin St-Louis, we must go back to the roots of their respective journeys.
On the one hand, Michel Therrien climbed the traditional ranks of the hockey world as a coach, while St-Louis had a pass directly from the bantam.
Despite his successes – notably by leading his teams to the playoffs on several occasions – Therrien has always struggled to win the affection of the Quebec public.
His authoritarian style and lack of elegance in the media often tarnished his image, reinforcing the idea that he was an effective but unpopular coach.
Conversely, Martin St-Louis is already a hero in Quebec. Ignored during the draft, he had to fight to prove his worth in the NHL, becoming one of the best players of his generation despite his small size.
This status as an underestimated player who became a star has made him a beloved figure among Quebecers, who see him as a model of determination.
When St-Louis was named head coach of the Montreal Canadiens in 2022, with no prior experience in the role, he immediately captured the public’s attention and enthusiasm.
It is precisely this spontaneous sympathy towards St-Louis that fuels Therrien’s jealousy. While he had to work hard for years to build a coaching career, St. Louis landed this prestigious position almost on a phone call from Jeff Gorton.
This rapid rise, mixed with the natural aura of St-Louis, created a divide that Therrien was never able to digest.
St-Louis, without any coaching experience, immediately became the darling of Quebec. Even in defeats, his positive attitude and his passionate speech continued to seduce the supporters, a phenomenon which completely escaped Therrien.
This gap in public admiration is a deep ego wound, exacerbated by the constant criticism Therrien has received throughout his career.
Therrien has always criticized St-Louis, calling him a “soft coach,” a term he uses to describe what he considers management worthy of a pastoral coach.
He attacks the way St. Louis manages its players, particularly Cole Caufield. After a costly penalty at the end of the match, Therrien allegedly punished Caufield by leaving him on the bench.
But St-Louis opted for a more nuanced approach. He explained that Caufield, although frustrated by his penalty, acted out of passion in getting revenge against Tyler Myers.
St. Louis believes that if Caufield had the opportunity to go back, he wouldn’t do it again, but he refuses to punish a player for trying to take the law into his own hands, even if it was the wrong way.
“Caufield is not a guy who takes a lot of punishment. I ask Cole a lot to get physically involved. Then he did that. Then it was a check against a big man where he got hit quite high.
So I understand his frustration. If Cole had the opportunity to go back in time, he wouldn’t do it again. But, we are in a place in a match where it is difficult to make him pay the price at that moment.
Because it would be easy for Cole to just score goals, be on the outside. Then, don’t get physically involved.
Then, when we ask him to play, it’s much harder. So there was an action this evening that he would like to see again. But, I didn’t think it was the right time. To teach him a lesson, like.”
Where Therrien would have imposed strict discipline, St-Louis relies on understanding and passion. Once again, St. Louis has the last word.
This morning, CH is in the playoffs. And Therrien is speechless.
While Therrien would have immediately demanded a “No Excuse”, and would have nailed Caufield to the bench, St-Louis used the gentle way.
And he was right again. What revenge.
Therrien never missed an opportunity to point out the flaws of his former opponent. While the Canadian was accumulating defeats and the team seemed to be getting bogged down, Therrien did not hesitate to point out the management faults of St-Louis.
And today, while CH is in the playoffs as we speak, Michou no longer says anything. As if he had disappeared.
All of a sudden, he stopped criticizing the lack of structure and the current coach’s inability to quickly correct mistakes, such as conceding early goals without reacting immediately.
All of a sudden, he no longer attacks the management of Arber
According to him, this loss of identity was a sign of the too gentle management of St-Louis, which did not push its players to regain their anger.
Where Therrien would have demanded immediate sanctions, St-Louis preferred to play the card of patience and learning.
And Marty won all the way.
The contrast between their approaches could not be more stark. Therrien, with his past as a rigid coach, has always emphasized the importance of work ethic, discipline and the urgency to act in key moments.
St-Louis, for his part, wants to be a more human coach, who seeks to understand his players, to give them space to grow and improve.
Therrien found St-Louis too lenient with its players. But in the end, Marty is the king. And Therrien became the loser in this whole story.
The opposition between the two men does not end there. Their difference in philosophy has deeper roots, linked to the very identity of the Montreal Canadiens.
Therrien, with his years of coaching behind him, saw the current situation as a drift, a lack of discipline that was spoiling the team’s progress.
For him, the “No Excuse” approach is the only way to establish a winning culture. Easy to say that when you had Carey Price to save your ass.
For its part, St-Louis seems to believe that the future of CH lies in building a healthy, motivating environment conducive to player development, even if that means temporary failures on the ice. He refuses to punish a player like Caufield for a youthful mistake, preferring instead to guide him towards better decision-making.
As the wins pile up and the team gets hotter, fans’ patience is rewarded.
And Therrien’s jealousy is punished.
The rivalry between these two men has always been a duel of visions: that of Therrien, who believes in discipline at all costs, and that of St-Louis, who focuses on humanity and adaptation. L
Quebec has chosen its side, and Therrien, seeing the public success of St-Louis, continues to attack it relentlessly.
His problem today is that he can no longer feed off every misstep from the Canadian coach.
If St-Louis wants to continue leading the Canadian to paradise, he will have to face not only the pressure of results, but also the incessant criticism of his former opponent, Michel Therrien.
The challenge for St. Louis was to prove that his approach could lead to victories, and that his popularity was not simply a product of his playing past.
St-Louis is now seen as a savior, a modern face for a franchise in full reconstruction.
He has just reminded everyone that, in his opinion, the “No Excuse” has passed.
In Michou’s teeth.
