What happened to Martin St. Louis? Canadiens coach's absence raises concerns over the team

By Abhilasha Aditi

Modified Mar 17, 2024 19:45 GMT

Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis has stepped away from the team indefinitely due to family reasons. Just before the Canadiens' recent game against the Calgary Flames, they announced his sudden departure, leaving fans and players wondering about the circumstances.

During an intermission interview, defenseman David Savard shed some light on the situation, revealing that St. Louis had to return home for something related to his son. The specifics of what transpired remain undisclosed, but the news has undoubtedly raised concerns among the Canadian community.

With St. Louis absent, assistant coach Trevor Letowski stepped in to lead the team. Despite Letowski's efforts, the Canadiens fell short, succumbing to a 5-2 defeat against the Flames.

Captain Nick Suzuki, reflecting on the game, acknowledged the absence of St. Louis and its impact on the team's performance.

Suzuki said via (hockeyotb.com),

"It's obviously different with Marty not being here. We have a good group in here, lot of good coaches. It was business as usual. But obviously we're missing him and wishing for the best."

Suzuki's sentiments echo throughout the Canadiens organization. St. Louis' absence creates a noticeable void, on the bench and in the locker room. Throughout the game against the Flames, there were moments of promise interspersed with lapses in performance.

Suzuki added,

"There were moments when we were playing very well and others when it was lacking. You can't expect to win when you have so many ups and downs in a game. They had too many scoring chances. The game could have been different."

Martin St. Louis: Hockey Legacy, Family, and Honors

Martin St. Louis, a former professional ice hockey player, met his wife, Heather Anne Caragol, at the University of Vermont, where he graduated with a degree in small business management in 1997.

The couple has three sons and St. Louis is actively involved in the hockey community, running an annual summer camp for young players in Stamford.

In 2016, the Vermont Catamounts retired St. Louis' number 8 jersey, marking the first time the university honored a former player in such a manner.

Later that year, the Tampa Bay Lightning announced they would retire Martin St. Louis' number 26, making him the first player in the franchise's history to receive such recognition. The retirement ceremony took place in 2017 at Amalie Arena.