While the rebuilding process is well understood, fans had hoped for progress, especially from captain Nick Suzuki, who faces heavy criticism despite solid production.
Brendan Gallagher has been impressive, and Jake Evans remains one of the few bright spots.
Coach Martin St-Louis is facing scrutiny.
Since taking over in 2021, St-Louis has a 33% win rate this season, nearing the statistics of Dominique Ducharme before he was let go.
According to Front Office Sports, St-Louis is one of the NHL's highest-paid coaches this season, earning $2.9 million, ranking 10th among league coaches.
In comparison, Penguins head coach, Mike Sullivan, tops the list with a salary of $5.5 million.
Martin St-Louis is under contract until 2027, raising questions about the team's future and the patience of its fans.
One thing is certain, if Kent Hughes wants to give his head coach the best chance to succeed, he will need to bring reinforcements, whether on the bench or on the ice.
Opportunities are certainly not lacking:
What about you? If it were your decision, what would you do in Kent Hughes' and the Montreal Canadiens' place?
POLL | ||
Should coach Martin St-Louis remain in his position until the end of his contract? | ||
Yes | 820 | 58.8 % |
No | 254 | 18.2 % |
Let's wait and see | 321 | 23 % |
List of polls |