Habs sign head coach Martin St. Louis to three-year extension

Martin St. Louis has officially become the 32nd head coach in Montreal Canadiens history after signing a three-year extension with the NHL club on Wednesday.

St. Louis had been serving as interim coach after taking over from former bench boss Dominique Ducharme, who was fired on Feb. 9.

Under St. Louis, the Habs finished out the season with a 14-19-4 record.

“Martin is a proven leader, a great communicator with a deep understanding of and passion for the game of hockey. His arrival brought a renewed energy to our group, and we look forward to him returning behind the bench to continue guiding our team for the foreseeable future,” said general manager Kent Hughes.

The Canadiens, who were Stanley Cup finalists in 2021, finished last in the NHL this past campaign with a 22-49-11 record.

The Habs hold the first overall selection in the NHL Entry Draft, which will be held July 7-8 at Montreal’s Bell Centre.

Before coaching, St. Louis enjoyed a stellar playing career, collecting 1,033 points (391 goals, 642 assists) in 1,134 regular season games with the Calgary Flames, Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Rangers. He won the Stanley Cup and the Hart Trophy as the league MVP with the Lightning in 2004, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018.