A contract extension for Martin St-Louis looks closer by the day, and the Canadiens appear ready to settle one of their biggest offseason decisions.
St-Louis is heading into next season in the final year of his deal, but very few NHL coaches enter a season without an extension already in place. In other words, this has the feel of something Montreal wants wrapped up sooner rather than later.
Montreal Gazette journalist Stu Cowan suggested a four-year deal would fit neatly. The reasoning is straightforward: Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes each signed five-year extensions last year, so a four-year agreement for St-Louis would put all three contracts on the same timeline.
The case for extending him is built on the results. Since February 2022, the Canadiens have improved every season, climbing from 55 points to 106 last season. That growth was followed by two straight playoff appearances.
Jeff Gorton has already pointed to that progress as exceptional, calling it something rarely seen in the NHL. And the stability behind it has become hard to miss. St-Louis is now the fourth-longest-tenured head coach in the league, behind Jon Cooper, Jared Bednar and Rod Brind'Amour.
That kind of continuity matters. In a league where coaches are often replaced quickly, keeping the same voice behind the bench sends a clear message to the room, especially when that message is still landing with the players.
Given the way things have gone, it would be surprising if Montreal let this stretch out much longer. An official announcement in the coming days looks like the most likely outcome.
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Bathersons situation has the potential to shape more than one front offices plans, because Ottawa would prefer not to let a player of that caliber drift into the market. If the Senators cannot bridge the gap, Montreal could be positioned to jump in, but the real intrigue is what kind of contract talks are going on behind the scenes and whether Ottawa can keep the door from opening at all. [Read more 🡒]