Martin St-Louis and Dominique Ducharme went to dinner together and Ducharme opens up

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Elias Adaime
September 15, 2024 (3:14 PM)

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Dominique Ducharme's life has changed in recent years, following his stint with the Montreal Canadiens and his replacement by Martin St-Louis.

He has gone from the intense pressure of being the head coach of the Montreal Canadiens to becoming an assistant to Bruce Cassidy with one of the best teams in the NHL, the Vegas Golden Knights.

Let's be honest, going from the cold of Quebec to the warmth of Nevada isn't so bad.

In an interview with Michel Beaudry for the Journal de Montréal, Ducharme discussed his new life. He also reflected on his departure from Montreal and, contrary to what one might think, he holds no bitterness toward the new management of the Canadiens who let him go.

He also provided details about the future of his career:

«No. Being fired is an intrinsic part of an NHL coach's life.»

«Yes, it hurt, that's human. I would have liked to talk more with Kent Hughes, but that's not how it went. When the guy who gave you the coaching job gets fired, it's never good news. I had a feeling the painful outcome was coming after Marc Bergevin's sudden departure.»

- Dominique Ducharme

It's entirely understandable.

Dominique Ducharme and Martin St-Louis even went to dinner together

Ducharme has great respect for his replacement, Martin St-Louis. The two know each other well as they were teammates at the University of Vermont. They even went out for dinner to talk.

«Yes, he took my job, but that's the business. If it hadn't been him, it would have been someone else. I sincerely wished him good luck.»

- Dominique Ducharme

Many have been quick to criticize Ducharme after his brief stint behind the Canadiens' bench. He accepts the criticism, but credit must be given where it's due. He was the first coach of a Canadian team to take his squad to the Stanley Cup Final in 14 years (the Ottawa Senators in 2007). And don't use the excuse of a lost season here; the Canadiens earned their place just as much as the Lightning earned their Cup.

«We eliminated Toronto, we beat Winnipeg, then Vegas, and made it to the Final. Montreal hadn't experienced that since 1993. People appreciated it, and so did I.»

- Dominique Ducharme

It will be interesting to see if the Joliette native will get another chance to lead an NHL team. Until then, he seems to be thoroughly enjoying his current role in Sin City, a place that has embraced their hockey team.