Stu Cowan: Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis has his players’ attention

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Habs have purchased into what he is promoting, whereas the Philadelphia Flyers appear to have give up on John Tortorella and his outdated teaching model.

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Stu Cowan  •  Montreal Gazette

Printed Apr 11, 2024  •  4 minute learn

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If Martin St. Louis wasn’t teaching the Canadiens, he would make an ideal motivational speaker.

After the rebuilding Canadiens have been formally eradicated from playoff competition with a 7-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning final Thursday night time on the Bell Centre, St. Louis saved a optimistic perspective throughout his post-game information convention. He famous that typically in life you go to a funeral and different occasions you go to a celebration of life. He mentioned that whereas it’s disappointing not making the playoffs and that mentally it’s a downer, there are plenty of positives indicators of development from his group this season value celebrating.

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“We’re going to complete with that vibe,” St. Louis added.

That information convention jogged my memory of one of many late, nice Crimson Fisher’s favorite traces throughout his Corridor of Fame profession overlaying the Canadiens when the group was struggling: “Present me the gamers.”

Since turning into head coach, St. Louis has proven a capability to get probably the most out of his gamers. Whereas the Canadiens lack depth of expertise, they don’t hand over and their compete stage has been spectacular all season.

St. Louis describes the NHL as a “massive mountain” and mentioned his younger gamers are nonetheless studying tips on how to climb that mountain and that what they’ve discovered this season received’t be misplaced transferring ahead.

Examine St. Louis’s phrases with these from Philadelphia head coach John Tortorella after the Flyers — who additionally entered this season in a rebuilding mode — misplaced 4-3 to the New York Islanders on April 1.

“We’re discovering issues out,” Tortorella instructed reporters in Philadelphia. “There are particular those that don’t have a clue tips on how to play. Or simply don’t have it in them to play in a lot of these conditions. For this reason I’m glad we’re enjoying, as a result of now we have to determine issues out, so far as what we’re going to turn into as a group right here.

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“That was an embarrassing second interval for the Philadelphia Flyer uniform, the way in which we performed,” Tortorella added. “Embarrassing. Excessive marks so far as how we got here again within the third interval. Some guys.”

Tortorella additionally mentioned a few of his gamers “don’t have the balls to play in a lot of these video games.”

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The Flyers stunned individuals this season by turning into playoff contenders, however the gamers now appear to have given up on Tortorella in his second season behind the bench.

After being instructed by their coach they don’t “have a clue tips on how to play,” the Flyers responded by shedding their subsequent three video games whereas being outscored 19-7 — together with a 9-3 loss to the Canadiens on the Bell Centre on Tuesday night time during which 20-year-old Juraj Slafkovsky recorded his first NHL hat trick. It was a meaningless recreation for the Canadiens, however an important one for the Flyers, who noticed their winless streak attain eight video games (0-6-2) and their odds of constructing the playoffs drop to 4 per cent. Their playoff odds have been 88 per cent on March 24, earlier than the winless streak began.

Tortorella and St. Louis are nice associates and have mutual respect for each other after successful the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Lightning in 2004 when Tortorella was the coach and St. Louis was the star participant. However their teaching types are completely completely different and St. Louis’s is a significantly better slot in in the present day’s NHL, whereas Tortorella’s is outdated.

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Extra necessary than Xs and Os for a coach in the present day is the flexibility to encourage gamers and get them to purchase into the techniques — or ideas, the phrase St. Louis prefers — they’re promoting.

“I believe as coaches you’re at all times within the enterprise of convincing your group,” St. Louis mentioned. “For me, the one factor I fear about convincing them is how we play. Why we’re enjoying a sure method. And in the event that they’re undecided about one thing, they know that we will discuss it. As a result of, on the finish of the day, it’s not about being proper. If we’re going to argue, it’s not about being proper. It’s about getting it proper. Get it proper. As a result of there’s loads of methods you may play.

“So for me, if I don’t have them offered on one thing, properly I bought to do a greater job,” St. Louis added. “I’ve to show it higher, I’ve to seek out higher clips. However I take pleasure in that a part of the sport, convincing my gamers to play a sure method. And to not say that the way in which we play proper now’s going to be precisely the way in which we’re going to play in Recreation 54 subsequent 12 months. I don’t know? The sport at all times speaks to us. I prefer to assume I’ve discovered to encourage a gaggle. Every so often it’s important to deliver them confidence. However I believe an important job as a coach is convincing your group why you’re enjoying a sure method. As a result of if in case you have them satisfied they’ll purchase in.”

The Canadiens have purchased in to what St. Louis is promoting.

Now it’s as much as GM Kent Hughes to seek out him higher gamers.

scowan@postmedia.com

twitter.com/StuCowan1

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