Copyright Athlon Sports
It feels like the Montreal Canadiens are on the verge of building something great. The Habs play a blistering fast pace and possess an exciting young core that has Montrealers thinking that a first Stanley Cup championship since 1993 could arrive sooner rather than later. A redux of the “Flying Frenchmen” is underway thanks to the talented roster and culture change that general manager Kent Hughes and president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton have instilled at Bell Centre. Hughes and Gorton have given head coach Martin St. Louis the patience and trust needed to mentor this team and build from learning moments. St. Louis has hung a poster in the Canadiens’ dressing room: “Win The Day.” Though it sounds like something out of Ted Lasso, it keeps players focused on immediate goals in smaller steps while keeping the ultimate goal in mind. Through seven games, Montreal ranks second in the Atlantic Division with a 5-2-0 record and 10 points. Top line forwards Nick Suzuki (89 points – 30 goals, 59 assists) and Cole Caufield (70 points – 37 goals, 33 assists) each eclipsed the 70-point mark last season. Suzuki has already recorded 10 points (one goal, nine assists) through seven games, while Caufield has registered eight points (five goals, three assists) in seven games. Star defenseman Lane Hutson is coming off a Calder Trophy-winning rookie season, and Hughes bolstered the blue line by adding former 70-point defenseman Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders. Then, there’s the game-changing talent of rookie right wing Ivan Demidov. The 19-year-old entered the preseason as the favorite to win the Calder Trophy. Demidov’s unpredictable and flashy style of play will remind Montrealers of former Hab Alexei Kovalev. In a city that adored the flamboyant play of Guy Lafleur, Demidov is going to be a big deal. Master Motivator St. Louis Getting the Most Out of the Habs’ High-End Talents St. Louis is harnessing the most out of the Habs’ potential due to his ability to teach and communicate. He commands the respect and attention of his players due to the perseverant qualities that led to a Hall of Fame career. As an undersized 5-foot-8 wing who was undrafted and initially struggled to find his place in the NHL, St. Louis went on to capture the Hart Trophy, two Art Ross Trophies and a Stanley Cup ring. During his 16-year career, St. Louis has seen it all. He knows what it’s like to struggle for a place on an NHL roster and what it takes to reach the very pinnacle of the sport. On top of all this, his work ethic and determination were second to none. Not skipping leg day was St. Louis’ personal credo. Even at age 50, he’s still running the stairs before games. St. Louis has held his players accountable. On Monday, he sent a clear message to Zachary Bolduc by trimming the 22-year-old left wing’s ice time to 10:32. The Canadiens went on to complete a 4-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. “He has to play the same way, no matter what role he has,” St. Louis said during his postgame press conference. If you want to play for the Canadiens, you have to give the same effort whether you’re a top-line center or a sporadic playing spare defenseman. With the talent this team possesses, combined with the culture that St. Louis is building, the Canadiens might be on the fast track to lifting Lord Stanley.
