Martin St-Louis was tasked with taking stock of his first full season behind the Canadiens’ hot bench minutes after a 5-4 loss to the Boston Bruins.
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St-Louis described the importance of keeping a rational side to avoid getting emotional, especially in a season where the team is losing far more games than it is winning.
If he sometimes tended to bubbling during the last kilometers of this marathon, the young head coach had regained his calm of the first months of the year.
At the end of a review of about twenty minutes, he responded to what he found most negative and most positive.
“For the disappointment, it’s the injuries, the number of injured players,” he replied. But what I liked the most was that, despite the injuries, I was able to continue for a large part of the season to progress. That shows the commitment of the players. The way we play, it can be difficult for the other team, regardless of the composition of our formation. Given the circumstances, I’m proud of the group, but disappointed that many regular players were gone. »
The scene after the Bruins game perfectly described this 2022-2023 season.
There were 20 players in uniform, but also 15 other players in jackets and ties.
Carey Price had accompanied the team’s other cripples such as Cole Caufield, Kirby Dach, Kaiden Guhle, Sean Monahan, Juraj Slafkovsky, Arber Xhekaj and others.
Martin St-Louis often repeats that you can’t buy experience for your players. It’s the same concept for a coach. Even more of a beginner trainer.
“I feel good as a coach,” he said. I’ve now received replays that you can’t buy. I am not perfect. I make mistakes. But I’m trying to grow and learn as a coach. »
“I now have a large sample of many people,” he continued. We have rehearsals from guys that we wouldn’t have had it not been for the injuries. There were positives in the bad injuries. These are samples for several types. It will help us make decisions. The band believes in what we want to do. There were multiple players, but we’ll save that for next year. »
Encouraged for the future
St-Louis knew there were no expectations for this season. The CH remained a team in reconstruction. But he feels he has laid a good foundation for the future.
“It’s encouraging. Part of a coach’s job is convincing how you want to do things. If the players aren’t convinced, they won’t buy the plan and work so hard. »
The former Lightning and Rangers fame put a big smile on his face to describe the development of his captain, Nick Suzuki.
“As a leader, he remains calm. Under the circumstances, it’s been a great year for Suzie. He has learned, he stays very young. He will find his way. As a manager, he has made great strides. »
Suzuki escaped the injury storm by appearing in all 82 games for his team, amassing 66 points (26 goals, 40 assists).