Martin St. Louis opens up about the possibility of leaving the Canadiens
Photo credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Habs coach Marty St. Louis says he is not worried about how long he stays in Montreal, and he is signed through 2029-30.
Martin St. Louis is not losing sleep over how long he stays behind the Montreal Canadiens bench.
The Habs head coach opened up on 32 Thoughts: The Podcast and made it clear he is focused on the work, not the contract talk.
St. Louis admitted he cannot control everything and has no idea how long he will hold the job.
He said that does not bother him.
His plan is simple. Show up every day as the best version of himself and help steer the group toward its goals, both as a team and as individuals.
Earning respect every day
He also said that if Montreal ever decides he is not the right man for the job, so be it, and he is at peace with that.
What he can do is earn the respect of everyone in the room daily.
“I can't control everything, I don't know how long I'm gonna be the coach and I'm not worried about it. I'm gonna try to be my best version everyday, help steer this group to accomplish their goals collectively and individually.”
“If at the end of the day, I'm not the guy, then I'm not the guy. I'm not worried about that. I'm confident that I'm doing everything I can to earn everybody's respect each and every day.”
“Does that get us to keep moving forward? Does that keep me around longer? I don't know, but I'm not worrying about it. I'm okay with the effort I'm putting in and the attitude that I bring everyday.”
- Martin St-Louis
“If at the end of the day, I'm not the guy, then I'm not the guy. I'm not worried about that. I'm confident that I'm doing everything I can to earn everybody's respect each and every day.”
“Does that get us to keep moving forward? Does that keep me around longer? I don't know, but I'm not worrying about it. I'm okay with the effort I'm putting in and the attitude that I bring everyday.”
- Martin St-Louis
Whether that keeps Montreal moving forward or keeps him around longer, he honestly does not know, and he is not going to spend time worrying about it.
The calm tone makes sense when you look at the results.
Montreal climbed from 68 points in 2022-23 to 76, then 91, then 106 last season, good for sixth in the NHL.
The Canadiens went on to reach the Eastern Conference Final before Carolina ended their run in five games.
A new deal and a fresh season
Montreal signed St. Louis through the 2029-30 season on Sept. 14.
He was a Jack Adams finalist in 2024-25 and carried a 163-155-47 regular season record into this season after starting as interim coach on Feb. 9, 2022.
For a coach who arrived in 2022 with almost no coaching experience, the message lands as refreshing.
He feels good about the work he puts in and the mindset he brings, and he plans to keep doing both.
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