As the storm intensifies around the Montreal Canadiens, TSN, through the voice of Darren Dreger, has put an end to speculation regarding the imminent dismissal of Martin St-Louis.
According to Dreger, the coach will keep his job, at least for now, but this reprieve is not a sign of absolute confidence.
On the contrary, it is the preparation for a fire sale that monopolizes management’s attention. This big housecleaning, although it redefines the future of the club, also offers St-Louis a new series of excuses to explain the team’s descent into hell.
Kent Hughes, exasperated by a team unable to compete and a locker room weighed down by players who are regressing, is preparing a thorough cleaning of the transaction market.
Veterans like Mike Matheson, David Savard, Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia are rumored to be traded to maximize the value of assets available on the market.
Jake Evans would also be far from untouchable.
This strategy, although it aligns with a vision of long-term reconstruction, represents a boon for St-Louis, which will be able to justify repeated poor performances by the absence of experienced executives.
“When you take away veterans, it’s easier to talk about process than results”
With this fire sale, the implicit goal becomes clear: finish in the cellar of the rankings and obtain the highest pick in the draft.
This approach might ease the immediate pressure on the coach, but it also exposes a structural problem: if St. Louis couldn’t advance the team with a full roster, how could it do it with an even younger group? and inexperienced?
Matheson’s name keeps coming up in discussions, and for good reason. Despite his role as number one defenseman and his significant ice time, his inconsistent performance and difficulty stabilizing the defense make him a logical target for a trade.
“He will no longer be there when CH is competitive.”
His affordable contract and market value could bring in draft picks or young talent needed for the rebuild that is far from over, even though it’s been three years already.
David Savard will also be sacrificed.
Respected leader, but increasingly limited physically, Savard will also be exchanged.
Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia will be the burdens to liquidate.
Acquired at a high price under Marc Bergevin, Dvorak never lived up to expectations, while Armia, so inconsistent and lazy, embodies the type of player Hughes wants to get rid of moving forward.
If this fire sale brings respite to St. Louis, it does not resolve the growing divide within management.
This does not prevent Jeff Gorton, vice-president of hockey operations, from having enough of the pro-player management of St. Louis and Kent Hughes, which he considers to be too indulgent and disconnected from the demands of the NHL.
“Gorton doesn’t like what he sees”said Therrien on TVA Sports.
This divergence between Gorton, a proponent of a disciplined approach, and the St-Louis-Hughes duo, focused on patient development, creates obvious tension on the 2nd floor.
In this context, the fire sale becomes a dual strategy: a necessary cleansing for the good of the team, but also a way to test the limits of St. Louis’ leadership.
With a team stripped of its veterans, Martin St-Louis will find himself in a paradoxical position. On the one hand, he will benefit from room to maneuver and a little breathing space in the face of rumors of dismissal.
On the other hand, he will have to prove that he can get the best out of this group and establish a clear identity for the team.
The Canadian has worrying shortcomings, both defensively and offensively. Imagine after the fire sale. It’s like we want to give St. Louis even more excuses for being a bad coach.
The fire sale gives St. Louis a golden excuse to justify this season’s failures, but it also serves as a litmus test.
In Montreal, where patience is rare and expectations high, the coach will have to show that he is capable of building a competitive team from scratch. As if we were giving him another chance.
A hundredth chance.
If the Hughes-Gorton-St. Louis trio fails to take advantage of this fire sale to redefine the direction of the team, the criticism could quickly turn into calls for change.
And this time, even the process argument will not be enough to protect St. Louis from the pressure.
The fire sale may be an opportunity for rebirth for the Canadian and Martin St-Louis, but it could also mark the beginning of the end for the coach.
In a market as demanding as Montreal, failure is never a sustainable option. It’s been three years already…and the light at the end of the tunnel is far, far, far away.
Get ready, dear CH supporters. We’re going to be bad for a long time. Finally, Martin St-Louis will have been used to finish in the cellar year after year.
The day he is fired, we will send him a Christmas card.
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