Martin St-Louis, the man who was never afraid to get his hands dirty, today seems to have emerged from the menacing shadow of his own dismissal.
Just a few weeks ago, some fans and armchair analysts were crying incompetence, hammering out words like “lost identity”, “questionable management” and, of course, “imminent dismissal”.
Well, surprise! This evening, when the Canadian has just won six victories in his last seven games, everyone is quick to praise the genius of the coach.
It seems that memories in Montreal are as short as expectations are high.
Flashback: on December 12, the Canadian suffered a humiliating 9-2 beating against the Penguins.
A grotesque performance that propelled the keywords “dismissal Martin St-Louis” at the top of Google searches.
Social networks, this often unnuanced public space, rained down criticism and sarcasm.
But now a minor exchange with Nashville, involving the arrival of Alexandre Carrier, acted as a silent detonator.
Since then, the defense seems stabilized, and the CH has discovered a new lease of life, in the absence of a real identity.
At the heart of this renaissance, there is Martin St-Louis, who, despite his sometimes philosophical appearance in press briefings, knew how to bring his wardrobe back to the essentials.
“It’s not a magic game. We do simple things, constantly”he said after the victory against Vegas.
This simplicity, however, took on its full meaning when the Canadian erased a two-goal deficit to topple the reigning Stanley Cup champions in 2023.
A performance which, for once, did not leave room for eternal comments like: “If only we had a coach with experience. »
It must be said that Montreal never does things by half measures. A defeat? It’s the crisis. Two wins in a row? We highlight the comparisons with the Sainte-Flanelle of 1977.
So imagine the uproar after three straight wins against Florida, Tampa Bay and Vegas, three solid teams, built to win.
Even Kirby Dach, often criticized for his inconsistency, managed to silence his detractors by scoring the winning goal in Vegas, although his play in the defensive zone still left something to be desired.
But hey, we’re not here to quibble: in Montreal, a hero is a hero, even if he trips on his own blue line from time to time.
And what about Samuel Montembeault? The Quebec goalkeeper, often overshadowed, held down the fort with crucial saves against Vegas.
“The line between winning or losing is so thin”underlined St-Louis. Montembeault demonstrated that this thin line was sometimes the width of a well-positioned skate.
So what has changed? Is this really the addition of Alexandre Carrier? The late awakening of certain key players? Or simply a wind of confidence that swept away doubts?
It doesn’t matter, because for once, the Canadian shows signs of maturity. “Recently, we really believe in what we do”said St-Louis.
And this belief, as intangible as it may be, is starting to bear fruit. The CH, which posted an abominable 0-13-0 record when trailing after two periods, finally broke this cycle by winning in Vegas.
A small statistical victory, certainly, but an undeniable symbol of progress.
Beyond the numbers, it’s the attitude that impresses. The team finally appears to be playing for itself, and not to appease the frustrations of a fickle fan base.
Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and even youngster Juraj Slafkovsky contribute consistently, while veterans like Josh Anderson and Jake Evans find their niche in more specific roles.
And of course, there’s Patrick Laine, whose impact goes well beyond his power play goals. The chemistry he develops with Dach and Newhook is a reminder that hockey remains, above all, a team game.
So what does the future hold? If the Canadian manages to maintain this pace, the famous “race to the series” could become a reality, a scenario unthinkable a month ago.
But be careful, in Montreal, the path between glory and disgrace is shorter than a poorly managed shorthanded spell.
St-Louis, for its part, seems determined to keep its feet on the ground. “We limit the bad minutes. It helps us achieve results. »
In short, the crisis has been averted, for the moment. But in Montreal, everything can change from one match to another.
So, let’s enjoy the moment. And to those who wondered if Martin St-Louis still had his place behind the bench?
You can put away your torches and pitchforks, for now.
Amen
