Kent Hughes made a notable coaching move this summer, and it could matter just as much as any roster tweak.
Derek Lalonde has joined the Montreal Canadiens’ coaching staff after Trevor Letowski stepped down this summer to spend more time with his family, opening up a spot behind the bench. Lalonde brings a résumé that stands out right away: two Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning and experience as an NHL head coach.
What makes the hire especially interesting is that Martin St-Louis gave it his blessing.
On 98.5 Sports, Arpon Basu said St-Louis personally approved the addition and pointed to why Lalonde was the fit. “You're bringing in someone who has a pretty strong background and plenty of experience.
He won the Stanley Cup with Tampa. He's already been a head coach.
He's going to bring some pretty strong ideas. And he was brought in for something specific.
He's a guy with a history of working with the penalty kill. Defensive play is really his bread and butter.
Those are two areas where the Canadiens have struggled. So, how is that dynamic going to work?
I'm very curious to see it. He's the most experienced coach behind the Canadiens' bench.”
Basu’s read is that Lalonde was targeted for exactly the areas Montreal has had trouble solving: the penalty kill and defensive-zone play. That’s where his background is strongest, and that’s where the Canadiens need help.
The bigger wrinkle is how that meshes with St-Louis, who has stuck with his man-to-man defensive-zone system even as it drew plenty of criticism over the last two seasons. Lalonde arrives with his own ideas and his own way of doing things, which makes the partnership worth watching closely.
According to Basu, the real storyline now is how those two coaches work together behind the Canadiens’ bench.
In Other News...
Canadiens Just Settled One Summer Decision Fans Were Watching
A busy summer in Montreal took another turn when the Canadiens locked up Zachary Bolduc on a four-year deal worth $4.2 million, according to Elliotte Friedman. Bolduc arrived in last offseasons trade and quickly gave the organization enough reason to keep him in the fold, adding to a roster that has already seen Chris Kreider come aboard as part of an active stretch of team-building.
The move clears one item off the Canadiens to-do list, even as another remains unresolved. Restricted free agent Arber Xhekaj is still without a contract, leaving at least one more summer decision hanging over the club as it tries to sort out the next layer of its depth and identity. [Read more 🡒]
Kent Hughes Just Won Big In The Chris Kreider Sweepstakes
Chris Kreiders path to Montreal opened up because Anaheim was not willing to pay the price some teams were seeking to absorb his contract. Elliotte Friedman said on his 32 Thoughts podcast that interest in taking on the deal came with a hefty ask, with clubs seeking first- or second-round draft compensation from the Ducks before they would step in.
Pat Verbeek would not attach that kind of asset to move the money, and the Ducks instead terminated the deal. That left Kent Hughes and the Canadiens in position to sign Kreider as a free agent without surrendering anything in return, a tidy bit of business for Montreal in a market where cap space and draft capital usually come at a premium. [Read more 🡒]
Chris Kreider Changes Everything About How The Canadiens Are Viewed
Chris Kreiders arrival gives Montreal a different kind of weight entering the season, not just because he brings playoff mileage, but because he clearly views this group through contenders eyes. After leaving the Anaheim Ducks, he landed with the Canadiens on a one-year contract and instantly changed the way the organization is being discussed around the league, with his experience and track record adding a layer of credibility to a team trying to reestablish itself among the Easts better clubs.
The surprise is as important as the signing itself. Kreider had been tied more often to Boston and Philadelphia, so Montreal was not the destination many expected, especially for a player with his background and the kind of market interest he generated. Instead, the Canadiens got the player who believes they can chase a Stanley Cup, and that alone says something about how far this roster has come and how it may be viewed going forward. [Read more 🡒]