Hoek on Bluesky — @graezilla.bsky.social
The biggest challenge for a coach is getting players to buy what they are selling. The Canadiens have taken over St. Louis since he took over the job almost four years ago and that hasn’t changed.
Jeff Gorton, the president of hockey operations, and general manager Kent Hughes knew this rebuild wouldn’t happen overnight and believed St. Louis was the right coach to teach young players how to play the game the right way and ultimately start winning. All three have been patient since the rebuilding began and they will continue to be so.
Despite making the playoffs last season in Year 3 of the rebuild and getting off to a strong start this season, all three know that the Canadiens, as the youngest team in the NHL, are not yet ready to have a shot at the Stanley Cup. The last five games against some bigger, more experienced teams have highlighted that.
Firing a coach in year 4 of a rebuild – especially one that has gone very well so far – means taking a step back, as a new coach will bring in his new ideas, and it’s a bit like starting over. With a record of 10-7-3, the Canadiens are actually seven points ahead of where they were at this point last season when they had a record of 7-11-2.
The Buffalo Sabres, who sit in last place in the Atlantic Division with a 7-9-4 record, look set to miss the playoffs for the fifteenth straight season. A big reason for that is because they’ve had seven different coaches since the last time they made the playoffs in 2011. Lindy Ruff, the last coach to lead Buffalo to the playoffs, is now back behind the Sabers bench.
Poor goaltending and long-term injuries to Kirby Dach, Patrik Laine, Alex Newhook and Kaiden Guhle have played a major role in the Canadiens’ recent slump, though St. Louis declined to use that as an excuse after practice Friday in Brossard.
As the late, great Red Fisher of The Gazette used to say when things were going bad for the Canadiens: “Show me the players.”
#Habs #Mailbag #Canadiens #call #Jacob #Fowler #Laval