Clearly, Stéphane Waite cannot help but look for a new scapegoat among the Montreal Canadiens players.
His new target? Kirby Dach.
In the most recent episode of the Exit Zone podcast, Waite did not hesitate to state that Dach was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks due to “serious problems” off the ice, insinuating that his attitude was the real culprit.
A statement heavy with innuendo, but very thin in concrete evidence.
For a coach who prides himself on his behind-the-scenes knowledge of hockey, Waite seems to have a selective memory when it comes to disparaging players who can’t defend themselves publicly.
After attacking Jonathan Drouin and criticizing Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, he now attacks Dach, a player who has nevertheless shown encouraging signs in recent weeks.
Is it really the role of a former coach to shoot down those who are trying to get back on track?
It is true that Kirby Dach did not shine at the start of the season, accumulating only nine points in 34 games despite playing an important role, particularly on the first power play.
But like any developing player, Dach needed time to find his bearings. And he did it! With five points, including four goals, in his last six games, he demonstrates that he can be the offensive asset that Kent Hughes imagined when acquiring him.
What Waite fails to point out is that Dach is still young and growing. His recent success coincides with the Canadian’s winning streak, proving that he can have a positive impact on the team.
If he did have attitude problems in Chicago, as Waite claims, they now seem to be a thing of the past.
Waite’s argument that Chicago was desperate to get rid of Dach doesn’t hold water. Yes, the Blackhawks were rebuilding, but trading a young player of his caliber for a draft pick in the draft itself was a risky gamble.
Their decision may reflect more of their inability to develop their young talents than a real attitude problem on Dach’s part.
Stéphane Waite is perhaps right to point out the difficulties of certain players, but his way of doing so leaves something to be desired.
Rather than valuing Dach’s journey and his potential to become a key player, he chooses to rekindle old stories, adding fuel to the fire instead of providing constructive insight.
In the end, Kirby Dach proves that he can meet challenges and contribute to the success of the Canadiens. As for Stéphane Waite, it is time for him to put his grudges aside and use his experience to raise the debate, rather than belittling those who work hard to progress.
And this is not the first time that Stéphane Waite has adopted this destructive attitude. His habit of attacking Montreal Canadiens players is nothing new, and several former members of the team have paid the price.
Take Jonathan Drouin, one of Waite’s favorite targets. His scathing remarks towards the Quebecer hit the headlines. He publicly mocked his lack of offensive production, going so far as to say:
-“We even played pranks within the team. We said as a joke: “Let’s see, does Jo have a clause in his contract that means he doesn’t have the right to score?” »
As if that wasn’t enough, he added humiliating details about Drouin’s supposed lateness to team meetings, corroborated by Pierre Gervais, when this information should have remained in the locker room.
These comments helped to further isolate Drouin, a player already under immense pressure in Montreal.
Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield weren’t spared either. In another episode of his bad language, Waite called these two pillars of the Canadian’s future “lazy”, implying that they were not working hard enough on the ice.
Unjustified criticism, especially when we know the involvement of Suzuki and Caufield, both on and off the ice.
These comments not only angered fans, but they also revealed a tendency by Waite to target talented youngsters.
More recently, Waite took the liberty of talking about Juraj Slafkovsky, implicitly calling him “the only player willing to do the dirty work” on the team.
An obvious attempt to pit players against each other, while creating an unfair narrative about the work ethic of the entire group.
By revisiting Stéphane Waite’s media interventions, one observation emerges: he seems incapable of resisting the urge to sully the reputation of the players with whom he has, or not, worked.
Whether it is Jonathan Drouin, Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky or, more recently, Kirby Dach, his approach remains the same: hurtful insinuations, inappropriate anecdotes and rarely constructive criticism.
Rather than shedding useful light on hockey issues or valuing the efforts of players, Waite locked himself into the role of provocateur, playing on the perceived weaknesses of individuals to attract attention.
While this strategy allows him to remain relevant in the media, it deeply damages his reputation and that of the players he criticizes.
Ultimately, the players Waite targeted – Drouin, Suzuki, Caufield, Dach and others – all seemed capable of overcoming his attacks and continuing to improve.
As for Waite, his repeated interventions only add another layer of toxicity to a media career already tainted by his own words.
It is high time that he turns the page on this destructive method and adopts a more respectful approach, if he still wishes to be taken seriously.
Because Quebec is taking notes…
