Martin St-Louis is still uprooted, far from his wife and three boys. Ryan and Lucas, the two eldest, wear the colors of the Fighting Saints of Dubuque in Iowa. Mason, 15, plays for the Mid-Fairfield Rangers, a Connecticut team, and lives at home.
• Also read: Happy in the Montreal pot
Prior to signing a three-year contract extension with the Canadians on June 1, St-Louis had said family was the biggest obstacle to his job.
Like the last three months of last season, he lives alone in downtown Montreal.
“There are some things that have changed for family life. But last year, when I started the job, I still had my two youngest children at home in Connecticut. This year, only Mason remains. »
“It’s life-changing for him. I was there with him every day, training his team and being in the tank with him the whole time. I would not have seen the two older ones more often, but I would have been at home in everyday life. It’s harder for my wife [Heather] and my younger than for me. I am busy and only have one person to look after. You come to visit me. My wife visited me in Montreal for two blocks of seven to ten days each. Mason came over for the weekend with my wife. »
“I don’t have too much time to get bored,” he continued. I would like to see them more often, but the season is going fast. I can’t believe we’ve already played 50 games. It makes no sense. »
The same work
Not so long ago, St-Louis was still a teenager. Today he is the coach of the most famous team in the NHL. But in his eyes there are not too many changes.
“For hockey responsibilities, it’s the same. I know I was in minor hockey. People can laugh about it. But I’ve been playing weekends, I’ve been on the ice two or three nights a week, I’ve watched videos for the team… Now I’m in the same world, but it’s more demanding. Today I have guys for the video, I have assistants and several people around me. It’s a big challenge, but I stay in the same world. »