While on the Spittin’Chiclets podcast, Martin St-Louis spoke for more than an hour about the underside of his playing career, but also about his leadership role as head coach of the Montreal Canadiens.
After his first full and official season as a Habs instructor, St-Louis took the opportunity to discuss his working methods and how he was able to establish himself as a leader for his troops.
“When I retired, I took classes on how to speak well in public. Courses to be a good leader. I’ve always been okay in front of the camera, but it’s not the same in the locker room or an auditorium full of reporters,” he told former NHL players Ryan Whitney and Paul Bissonnette.
This precious aspect was useful to him to be a good pilot. He had to find the fine line between being emotional enough, without ditching rationality, because “if you’re just mad, it won’t work in the long run.” The important thing, according to the 47-year-old Laval resident, is to focus more on rationality than on emotion.
However, even if he knows that he remains a relatively firm coach, he is also aware that he must first lead individuals. That he must be flexible in his way of teaching.
According to him, it’s a bit the same job as when he was leading teams of teenagers. Trying to lead only a collective is not a guarantee of success, he noted.
It is also on an issue that can irritate some of his players that the Quebecer believes he will have to improve.
“I’m not the best at rolling the bench,” he admitted of situations where the game is focused on special teams. However, I am improving and I want to keep improving. »
St-Louis also admitted sometimes being too invested in the meeting and that he can sometimes lose track of his changes. That said, he tempered by saying that his deputies are there to bring him to order.
The hosts of the podcast under the banner of Barstool Sports also touched on the point of small players at CH. St. Louis, who has been a star in the NHL despite being 5’8″, can he help his small troopers improve based on his personal experience?
The first lesson is that “guys who are short have to have courage,” he said. He added that greatness remains an important issue in the NHL. Admittedly, having twenty strong guys is not necessarily the way to go, but betting only on small players would not be enough to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes or the Dallas Stars in the playoffs, believes- he.
St-Louis also took the time to talk at length about Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson, two talented little players at the Canadiens.
“I know he has weaknesses in his game, but it’s like every 20 or 21-year-old player. Like me at that age. But Cole scores goals. I will never be able to teach him to score goals. Am I going to be able to teach him to create more chances? I think so. Can I improve his overall game? Obviously. All his life he scored goals. We will work on other aspects of his game as he continues to score goals. »
He went on to be both cautious but optimistic about Hutson, a 5’9″ defenseman who has made many eyes widen since being selected late in the second round by the Canadiens in 2022.
“Time will tell what its ceiling will be,” he said. However, if you want to play long in the NHL, your floor must be quite high. In my opinion, he needs to go back to college next year to get stronger and keep improving. That way, the day he comes to the NHL, he will have time to show me your full potential.
“I’m sure, with the coaching staff we have, Lane will have a chance to show his potential in Montreal. You have to be careful not to take it out of context, but I like what I see. »
