Martin St. Louis' future with the Montreal Canadiens gets a serious update
Photo credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Montreal Canadiens appear headed toward locking up head coach Martin St. Louis before the 2026-27 season begins, and the timing lines up perfectly with the front office around him.
According to Montreal Gazette columnist Stu Cowan, general manager Kent Hughes and president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton signed five-year contract extensions at the start of last season, running through 2031.
Cowan argues a four-year deal for St. Louis, covering 2027 through 2031, would make sense and put the entire hockey operations group on the same timeline.
Why St. Louis Has Earned the Extension
St. Louis took over on an interim basis in February 2022 and has steadily rebuilt Montreal's identity ever since.
The Canadiens have climbed from 55 points in his first partial season to 106 points last year, culminating in back-to-back playoff appearances after three straight missed postseasons before that.
His read-and-react offensive system has helped Montreal become one of the league's more dangerous scoring teams, while his hands-on approach with young players has accelerated the development of Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky and other core pieces.
With coaching jobs opening around the league and rival teams always searching for proven bench bosses, Montreal has real incentive to secure St. Louis now rather than risk him reaching unrestricted free agency.
He is entering the final guaranteed year of his current deal, and letting a coach in his position play out a contract year rarely sends the right message to a locker room chasing sustained success.
An extension would complete the leadership core Montreal has built around Hughes and Gorton, giving the Canadiens continuity as they push toward being a legitimate contender again.
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AOUT 14|158 ANSWERS Martin St. Louis' future with the Montreal Canadiens gets a serious update Do you believe Martin St. Louis can win a Stanley Cup with the Montreal Canadiens? | ||
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