Since the winning streak during the holiday season, Martin St-Louis has received positive mentions. However, before this streak, many fans wanted nothing to do with him at the helm of the Canadiens.

In December, the Canadiens suffered a humiliating 9-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was probably the most humiliating match of the season for the Tricolore and a turning point for the team.

Martin St-Louis’s future could have been called into question at that moment. In fact, Alexandre Pratt from La Presse believes there were serious discussions about the coach‘s future with Montreal if the team suffered another crushing defeat in the days that followed.

This was revealed by him during the latest episode of the podcastSortie de zone from 98.5 Sports and La Presse.

Pratt also explained that people were very critical of the Canadiens at that time, including himself. They had every right to be!

After that 9-2 loss, the Canadiens occupied the very last place in the Eastern Conference. It’s crazy to see that the Canadiens are currently fighting for a playoff spot.

However, Kent Hughes never wavered in this situation. He continues to state that he wants to stick to his plan and that St-Louis is part of it. For him, there’s no question of firing his coach while the rebuilding process is still ongoing.

During his mid-season review, Hughes once again reiterated that he trusts St-Louis. He appreciates that his coach is able to face challenges and is always improving.

Returning to Pratt, he seriously believes that the key to success has been tightening the defense, especially with the addition of Alexandre Carrier and the arrival of Jakub Dobes in place of Cayden Primeau.

The Canadiens have allowed less than three goals in six of their last ten games. The issue seems to have been resolved on defense, and Martin St-Louis can receive his due praise after being criticized so much.

Kent Hughes specifically praised him during his mid-season review. He appreciated that St-Louis found a way to communicate with his players so they understood what he expected of them.

In Brief

– Huge trade in the WHL.

– Caufield is in seventh place in this ranking.

– Interesting!