Martin St. Louis to assume powerplay coaching duties

One of the most important factors for the Montreal Canadiens to be successful this season will be the strength of the power play.

With Alexandre Burrows departing from his former role as assistant coach, with power play duties, the Habs need a new shot caller. The club announced that head coach Martin St. Louis will take over the vacant role, and it's safe to say that he knows a thing or two. So, while the two units had developed familiarity with Burrows, St. Louis could have the best unit that they've had in a while.

Anytime that a coaching change happens, it's a bit of an adjustment for the team, but thankfully for the Habs, St. Louis is a familiar face. With Patrick Laine joining the fold, St. Louis could have the best group of troops that the Bell Centre faithful has seen in years. With success in the past, teaching Cole Caufield new ways to fool defences and opposing goalies, he will certainly have ideas to get the power play clicking the way he knows it should.

Creativity is the name of the game

One thing that is certain when it comes to St. Louis' reputation and that is how creative he is. After building a career based on his resiliency, St. Louis had to adjust and find innovative ways to outsmart the opposition. When you're 5'7'' and just about 180 pounds, you aren't likely to be pushing anybody around, but trying to find ways to battle against bigger, stronger opponents - which sharpened his hockey mind.

Many of the lessons he learned during his playing days have translated to his role as coach. I foresee that a lot of the things that made him successful on the ice will allow him to teach the power play how to be effective. It's simple, just put the puck into the net, but four 90-plus point seasons don't just happen, so certainly he learned from many coaches how to be effective with and without the puck in the offensive zone.

I was rather surprised that he didn't assume the role of power play coach from the moment that he started coaching the Canadiens. But now that he has it, I think that he will get the most out of his group. Not only was he an effective offensive player, but as a coach, he understands the players and has a different approach to each player.