Chris Nilan says Martin St-Louis is saying things in the Canadiens locker room that players say they have never heard from any other coach.
That was the headline takeaway from Nilan’s appearance on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast, where the former Canadiens forward said he has heard the same message from multiple players on the team. The point, as Nilan framed it, is that St-Louis’ voice stands out in a room that has already been exposed to plenty of different coaching styles.
"I've talked to several players on the team, and they told me that some of the things they've heard Martin St. Louis say in the locker room, they've never heard from any other head coach before."
Nilan said that matters even more because some of those players have already spent time under other well-known coaches during their careers. In his view, that gives extra weight to the idea that St-Louis is bringing something different to Montreal.
The former Canadiens tough guy also pointed to his own connection with the current group. Nilan said he has stayed close to the locker room, and he also appears to have a strong relationship with Arber Xhekaj.
St-Louis, who took an unconventional route to the top, seems to have built a real connection with his players in Montreal. With young pieces like Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky in the mix, that kind of leadership could matter a lot for the Canadiens.
Fans will get their own read on it once the season plays out and the results start to tell the story.
Nilan, now 68, finished his NHL career with 225 points in 688 games and 3,043 penalty minutes.
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