Montreal Canadiens: What Can Martin St. Louis Do For Alex Newhook’s Confidence?
Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St Louis was integral in bringing back Cole Caufield’s confidence, and he helped Kirby Dach to his best season in the NHL. St Louis made it to the NHL the hard way, as an undrafted free agent, and he never looked back, en route to an illustrious NHL career. He is teaching with a deep knowledge of what it takes to win on the ice, and instilling a winning culture within the Canadiens organization.
Of course, each season going forward will be important for the young guys in the organization to absorb all that they can, and Marty’s experience will prove as an asset. Another young talent, who was dealt too soon, much like Dach, Alex Newhook is looking to get back to playing his best hockey. Colorado is far ahead of the Canadiens, and with that, Newhook has much higher pressure on him, and his minutes are more scarce than they will be in Montreal.
While the increased ice time and a higher place in the lineup will certainly be well-received by Newhook, an emphasis on playing loose should be great for the former 2019 first-round selection. Surely the Canadiens are developing a culture, but they are putting an emphasis on not being scared to make a mistake. St Louis can relate to a team giving up on him, as the Calgary Flames waived him before he found his way to Tampa Bay. The mentorship and lived experiences will provide Newhook with proof that working hard will pay off.
While Newhook is slightly taller than St Louis, he has a similar build, and he is a left-shot. Watching some St Louis and Mats Naslund highlights could be a great way for Newhook to emulate their play styles into his own. The package is there, and the belief that the Canadiens have instilled in Newhook should allow for the Newfoundland native to have a fantastic season in his first campaign with the Habs.
With a trophy case chocked with medals, trophies and honours, St Louis is a great bet to lead Newhook and the young Canadiens group. The Stanley Cup ring is proof that despite his smaller stature, and tough path to the league, that your attitude is what’s in your control. A never give up, compete-for-the-guy next-to-you approach, is a philosophy that will be important for the Canadiens’ quest to becoming a Stanley Cup contender.
St Louis scored the goal that saved the Lightning in game six of the Stanley Cup final against the Flames to secure an opportunity to play in game seven for the cup. The Lightning ultimately won the Cup, and St Louis’ 24 points in 23 playoff games were a massive reason for the win.
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