Today at a press conference, Martin St-Louis once again lacked respect for the old regime led by Marc Bergevin and Trevor Timmins.
The head coach, in full congratulations to his young players under 24 years old, “forgot” to pay tribute to those who built this promising core.
Luc Gélinas, journalist at RDS, asked an intriguing question to Martin St-Louis. He asked the head coach what he thought of TSN’s rankings, which put the Montreal Canadiens atop the NHL for the best core of players under the age of 24.
St. Louis did not fail to praise the excellent work of Jeff Gorton, Kent Hughes and current scouts, saying that the depth of young talent was a sign of the reconstruction well underway by this administration.
“We have an exceptional group of young players who are developing quickly, and that’s thanks to a clear vision from our management and hard work from our scouts.”
However, at no time did St-Louis mention the role of Marc Bergevin, former general manager, nor that of Trevor Timmins, former director of amateur recruiting.
A deliberate oversight which has not escaped several observers, especially since several of these young rising stars were selected or acquired during the Bergevin era.
Here is the excerpt:
According to TSN, the Canadiens’ core includes talents like Cole Caufield, Kaiden Guhle, Lane Hutson, Joshua Roy, Logan Mailloux and Jacob Fowler.
While some of these names, like Juraj Slafkovsky and David Reinbacher, are products of the current regime, several of the key figures come directly from the decisions of Bergevin and Timmins.
Cole Caufield, in particular, is often seen as the offensive cornerstone of this young generation. Selected 15th in 2019, he represents one of the masterstrokes of the old regime.
Kaiden Guhle, drafted in 2020, is already considered a future defensive pillar. Even Joshua Roy, a late fifth-round pick in 2021, is going to become a serious option for the Montreal offense.
On paper, the reconstruction begun two years ago seems to be bearing fruit. TSN’s rankings put the Canadiens ahead of teams like the San Jose Sharks, New Jersey Devils and Detroit Red Wings. According to TSN analyst Craig Button, this core is reason enough for the team to continue to advocate patience.
“It’s abundance”Button commented.
“There’s no rush to be had. These young players represent a bright future for the organization. »
Why does St-Louis choose not to publicly recognize the work of Bergevin and Timmins? Some argue that this omission could be intentional, a way of turning the page on an era marked by costly mistakes, notably contracts like those of Karl Alzner and Carey Price.
Others think it’s simply a lack of attention or a desire to focus praise on the present and future.
And especially on his bosses, while several are calling for his dismissal. Good idea to flatter the CEO in the right direction.
Either way, this oversight risks dividing supporters. Part of the public continues to criticize Bergevin for his controversial decisions, but another part recognizes that several of the team’s current young talents are the result of his hard work.
Despite the debates, the future of Canadians seems more promising than ever. With players like Caufield, Guhle and Hutson at the forefront, and goalies like Jacob Fowler on the rise, the CH is well positioned to compete in the years to come.
However, it would be unfair to overlook the impact of Marc Bergevin and Trevor Timmins in building this core.
Even if St-Louis prefers to look to the future, the legacy of the past is still present on the ice. And the supporters will not forget it.
St-Louis once again despises Bergevin in front of the cameras. Remember that during the last preparation match, Olivier Kapanen, selected 64th in 2021, delivered a mature and reassuring performance.
St-Louis did not fail to highlight this performance and congratulate “the current team of scouts”, led by Nick Bobrov.
However, this selection belongs to Trevor Timmins, then during the Bergevin era, a fact that St-Louis seems to have voluntarily put aside.
Today, he made the same mistake again…on purpose…
For the second time, the head coach seems to neglect the contributions of the old regime. Even today, he congratulated Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton, as well as their scouts, forgetting that several key players, like Cole Caufield, Kaiden Guhle or Logan Mailloux, come directly from the decisions of Bergevin and Timmins.
According to a recent TSN ranking, the Canadiens have the best core of players under the age of 24 in the entire NHL.
That wealth includes names like Caufield, Guhle, Slafkovsky, Logan Mailloux, and Lane Hutson. If some of the current young talents are products of the new administration led by Kent Hughes, some gems of this team are the result of the work of Bergevin and Timmins.
Fans remember that this duo laid the foundation for a solid rebuild, drafting talented players and orchestrating key trades.
Nick Suzuki, acquired thanks to the famous Pacioretty transaction, or even Joshua Roy, stolen in the fifth round, testify to this long-term vision.
Why does Martin St-Louis avoid recognizing the work of Bergevin and Timmins? Some see it as a desire to align with the vision of the new administration, erasing the past to better highlight future successes.
Others see it as simple historical ignorance, an error which could ultimately destroy the credibility of his words.
For Trevor Timmins, now with the Blue Jackets, this slip could be seen as an involuntary tribute.
Despite the criticism received for his failures, particularly in Scandinavia (Jacob de la Rose, Joni Ikonen), choices like that of Kapanen demonstrate that he also knew how to find rare gems.
A lasting legacy
Whether we like it or not, the Bergevin-Timmins era left a searing mark on Canadians. The current core, full of potential, is a mixture of their work and recent efforts. However, to ignore their contribution is to distort history.
Martin St-Louis, as leader, perhaps needs to review his approach. Praising the past does not diminish the successes of the present.
The core of the CH shines today thanks to foundations laid well before the arrival of St-Louis and Kent Hughes. Recognizing this would not only be fair, but also a gesture of respect towards those who worked in the shadows to build the future of the CH.
For fans, it is obvious that these young rising stars embody hope.
But this hope has a name: that of those who identified and developed them.
Clearly, Marc Bergevin and Martin St-Louis will never be invited to the same party.
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