BROSSARD, Que. — Martin St. Louis recalled his early playing days, drawing parallels to the challenges his young players will soon encounter.
The Montreal Canadiens` coach spoke on Saturday about his first experiences in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, highlighting the potential downsides of being inexperienced and young.
“I was very excited,” St. Louis admitted. “It was against Washington, with players like Jagr and Gonchar. We lost the first two games, and I believe my excitement was a hindrance.”
This was understandable, even for St. Louis, who at 26 already had a considerable 282 NHL games under his belt.
Growing up in Laval, Que., he watched the Canadiens in playoff action and spent his initial five NHL years eager for his own playoff moment. However, in those initial two games in Tampa Bay, facing icons such as Jagr and Gonchar, the sheer anticipation amplified his adrenaline and clouded his focus.
Despite a strong regular season in 2002-03 with 33 goals and 37 assists, St. Louis, playing around 20 minutes in Game 1 and over 21 in Game 2, only managed a single assist in those defeats.
“But I settled down,” St. Louis recounted, “and we proceeded to win four in a row.”
He went on to score five goals and provide three assists, becoming a crucial factor in the Lightning`s series victory — a narrative he will likely share with his current team, if he hasn`t already.
The Canadiens enter these playoffs as the youngest team. They are heading to Washington to face a seasoned Capitals team, led by hockey legend Alex Ovechkin. For the Canadiens to cause an upset, their least experienced players must step up and make a significant impact.
There is a singular approach for 19-year-old Ivan Demidov, 21-year-olds Juraj Slafkovsky and Lane Hutson, and 23-year-old Kaiden Guhle to achieve this.
“I firmly believe that control is essential,” St. Louis stated. “Once you grasp this, you can simply play the game, rather than trying too hard due to heightened emotions.”
It might take a game or two for these four young players to fully internalize this lesson.
Yet, if this is the only adjustment needed, the Canadiens will stand a better chance against the Capitals than many anticipate.
