To say the Montreal Canadiens have just finished a frustrating stretch would be an understatement, and for a mostly young roster, it's a bit of foreign territory.
Some of the veteran's on the team have gone through it, the National Hockey League can be unforgiving, and guys like David Savard, Brendan Gallagher and even Mike Matheson have gone through it. With buzz about Martin St Louis getting fired, the reasons he was brought in need to be remembered. It wasn't a decision that was made hastily.
St. Louis spoke about his struggles during his playing days, and how he would get down on himself, thinking that he would never be able to score again. Thoughts that he wouldn't get to play another game in the NHL were unavoidable for the Hockey Hall of Famer. Marty was brought on because he demands respect in the locker room, but he has also gone through frustration and having to work from the bottom to reach the top - the long way.
“It’s not an an easy league. I was telling the boys after the game, ‘Listen, I remember as a player, sometimes I used to think I’d never get another game in the NHL. Even when I was in the league, there were moments when I thought I’d never score another goal.’”
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) November 12, 2024
“As a young… pic.twitter.com/Tqik4yf1QN
The Habs bench boss had thoughts about whether the Habs would ever win a game ever again, and it wasn't how the team was playing that affected him. The end results had him feeling frustrated; even if he felt the team played well enough to win, sometimes it just doesn't go your way. Montreal banded together for an encouraging win against the Buffalo Sabres, and while Marty was pleased, he knows that there is still work ahead.
Coaching takes patience and self control
Something that a coach is required to do, is keep their cool regardless of what the energy and feelings are on the ice and the bench. The team could be dejected and feeling down on themselves, but the coach needs to keep the team feeling positive. Easier said than done, and not many could do that, which speaks to how tough it is for each of the 32 NHL head coaches.
Marty seems to have these expectations throughout social media to create miracles with the current roster, and if he doesn't, then the hammer should come down on him. But the fact that he has remained calm and tried to keep the team on the same page is promising. It would be easy for him to bench players or shift the blame on the team, but he knows that it's a collective effort to win, and losses are the same thing.
Nobody wants the team to win more than Marty; it's his livelihood and he accepted the position in Montreal to help turn the team around. But there needs to be some realism here, rebuilds aren't easy and they certainly don't happen overnight. Winning is of the utmost importance, and going back to the drawing board when things aren't working is a great way for the team to grow together.