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Canadiens: In Other News… Ducharme Axed, Rocket Fight for Playoffs

By Scott Cowan

MONTREAL, QC - FEBRUARY 08: Head coach of the Montreal Canadiens Dominique Ducharme, handles bench duties during the second period against the New Jersey Devils at Centre Bell on February 8, 2022 in Montreal, Canada. The New Jersey Devils defeated the Montreal Canadiens 7-1. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - FEBRUARY 08: Head coach of the Montreal Canadiens Dominique Ducharme, handles bench duties during the second period against the New Jersey Devils at Centre Bell on February 8, 2022 in Montreal, Canada. The New Jersey Devils defeated the Montreal Canadiens 7-1. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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Ducharme Gets the Axe, Martin St. Louis Enters as Canadiens Free-Fall Continues

Going into the 2021-22 season, expectations were high for head coach Dominique Ducharme after taking the Canadiens all the way to the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals the year before, in a magical Cinderella run helmed by a vintage Carey Price and timely, youthful offense. With a fresh three-year deal in hand and a familiar staff around him, it seemed as though the Canadiens would at least be able to put up a fight if not compete for a playoff spot directly, with an initially promising lineup.

That hasn’t happened.

Instead, every cliché you can name to describe a bad or struggling sports franchise can be applied to the Canadiens, and Ducharme and the few members of his staff who remain have seen just about everything a coaching staff can see over the course of a professional hockey season, including well, being laid off, replaced by a former longtime NHL star in St. Louis. From fringe AHLers like Brandon Baddock and Cameron Hillis finding their way into the Canadiens lineup as Covid and injuries wracked the team, to basically every new addition made by former GM Marc Bergevin during free agency, not working out, Ducharme leaves the Canadiens with a less than ideal 23-46-14 record over his short tenure.

Even with Ducharme gone, the Canadiens are in absolute free-fall right now and it doesn’t seem as though there’s much to stop them from slipping farther. Heading into last Tuesday nights matchup against the New Jersey Devils, the Habs were fresh off their bye-week and icing a mostly healthy roster for the first time in months. The Devils had been struggling heavily after a solid start to the season and had an unproven journeyman in goal in 29-year-old Jon Gillies.

Yet, in spite of peppering Gillies with 27 shots, Montreal only managed one by him as they were crushed 7-1. Going into Thursday’s match against the Capitals, there was little to suggest the Habs weren’t destined for a similar fate against a potent and star-studded Capitals lineup, and well, they ultimately played up to those odds. Going forward, it remains to be seen whether St. Louis can ultimately right what has long been a rapidly sinking ship in Montreal.

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