Luke Richardson's Return to Canadiens' Coaching Staff Emerges After Ugly 9-2 Loss to Penguins
With the Canadiens' poor start to the season, many experts have wondered if it might be time for Kent Hughes to make a coaching change.
Since being named head coach of the Canadiens in February 2022, Martin St-Louis has shown signs of impatience at times this season, leading some to question whether he is still the right man for the job.
The team has shown signs of life since Laine's return but suffered an ugly 9-2 loss to Sidney Crosby and the Penguins last night.
The Canadiens now sit seven points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final playoff spot.
The Habs remain in last place in the Eastern Conference, and in recent weeks, there has been a wave of coach firings across the NHL.
There was Jim Montgomery in Boston, Drew Bannister in St. Louis, and most recently, Luke Richardson in Chicago.
Richardson was let go by Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson just over two years after leaving the Montreal Canadiens organization. And now, the website DansLesCoulisses has an interesting suggestion.
What if Luke Richardson became the next assistant coach to Martin St-Louis and the Montreal Canadiens?
This idea is not bad, especially considering that Richardson has a wealth of experience, with over a decade spent behind an NHL bench.
He proved himself as an assistant with the Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders, and of course, the Canadiens, where he spent four seasons between 2018 and 2022 before leaving to become head coach in Chicago.
And we all remember that he stepped in for Dominique Ducharme in 2021 during the Canadiens' improbable run to the Stanley Cup Final when Ducharme was unavailable.
But what would make him an excellent candidate is that Richardson is known for his defensive work, having been responsible for the defensemen with the Canadiens.
It's well-known that the Canadiens have been one of the worst teams in the NHL in terms of goals allowed since the 2021-2022 season, and the arrival of the former defenseman as a possible assistant coach would certainly help.
While this is just speculation with no concrete rumors of a coaching change in Montreal, it remains to be seen if Luke Richardson's name will be considered should Kent Hughes decide to bring in help for Martin St-Louis.
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