The Firing of Martin St-Louis Had Already Been Considered Before Everything Changed Quickly
After a strong stretch at the end of December and the beginning of January, the Montreal Canadiens are currently experiencing a slowdown.
Morale, both among fans and in the media, is at an all-time low.
People are now disappointed and no longer believe in the team's chances of making the playoffs.
However, they have very short memories..
The Habs Have Already Come Back from Worse This Season
Nothing was going right for the Habs at the beginning of last December.
Many had been ready for some time to write off Martin St-Louis and his defensive style of play, expecting a top-3 pick in the next draft.
As of December 16, on the eve of a game against the Buffalo Sabres, Montreal was actually sitting in last place in the Eastern Conference and was 7 points out of a playoff spot.
At that time, some experts were discussing the firing of Martin St-Louis, and everything was going downhill.
What followed was a surprising holiday road trip and an incredible winning streak that reignited hope.
Just 21 days later, after a victory against the Vancouver Canucks at the Bell Centre, the Habs accomplished what many thought was impossible, they reached a playoff position.
And suddenly, Martin St-Louis became a candidate for NHL Coach of the Year.
Why Couldn't the Canadiens Do It Again?
As of February 4, Montreal sits in 13th place in the Eastern Conference and, with a game in hand, is 6 points behind the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets, who occupy the two wild card spots with 59 points.
Considering it only took 12 games last time to catch up to playoff teams, why couldn't they pull off the same feat again?
Of course, the team will need some help from other teams, who are all winning right now, and a resurgence from the players.
But it's still possible, isn't it?
Every team experiences highs and lows during a season, and hopefully, the Habs are done with their lows for 2024-2025.
With four games left before the break for the Four Nations Showdown, the playoff picture could still change for the better by February 22, when the team returns to action. After that, they will have 26 games left to turn things around.
If 12 games changed everything in December and January, imagine what 30 can do!
Yes, I'm optimistic, but I believe it's always better to see the glass half full rather than half empty, unlike many people have in recent days.
