BROSSARD | There is one statistic that makes Martin St-Louis jump out of his chair. The white bowl with the egg salad he is holding on his lap practically falls over.
“48? wow. 48 in 83 games. We are not far from a season of 50.
St-Louis reacts spontaneously when he is reminded of the statistics of Cole Caufield under his watch.
If there is a player who has grown rapidly, in terms of confidence and not physically, it is Caufield.
With his 48 goals, Caufield distances his closest pursuers by a good length. Nick Suzuki is second with 28 goals and Josh Anderson follows with 24 goals.
We know the story. Before the dismissal of Dominique Ducharme, Caufield brooded. He was not a shadow of himself with just one goal in 30 games.
mutual trust
In this 45-minute interview with Le Journal de Montréal, St-Louis describes with great energy his special relationship with Caufield.
“I have a good relationship with Cole,” he replies. That’s what you have to build before you want to convince a player to think of one thing or another. He knew me for the hockey player he looked up to when he was young. He didn’t know me as a human or as a coach. I had to build a bond of trust. You give it and he gives it to you. »
Trust remains the element at the heart of this bond between the head coach and the number 22.
“That’s what I’m most proud of. He trusts. He knows I want to get the best out of him. I’ve always said, I won’t make Cole a top scorer. But I know I can help him score more goals. Not by changing his shot, but by teaching him to position himself better on the ice, to read better the game without the puck. I can also help him read his teammates better or read the defense better. »
“The most important thing is that he has to become a better hockey player. Not just a guy who scores goals. I saw a big improvement. He is even more committed, he collects more pucks, he is more physically involved. These are good signs. And he will also come back hungry next fall. Cole is a young person who wants to learn and who has a real passion for his sport. »
Caufield will no longer wear the CH uniform this season, having undergone surgery on his right shoulder which will keep him on the sidelines for several months.
Suzuki, a captain on the right path
Photo Martin Chevalier
Nick Suzuki
Shea Weber had a reputation as the captain of captains. But he also had experience and other years with that role in his days with the Nashville Predators.
After a transition season where the captain found himself on the injured list and at home in British Columbia, Nick Suzuki inherited this function with the Canadian.
At 23, Suzuki became the youngest captain in team history. But also of a team in the middle of a reconstruction. On the ice for practice, behind the bench during a game, inside the locker room or on the plane for a trip abroad, St-Louis has several opportunities to judge his captain’s interactions with his teammates.
“I think he’s doing well from what I see,” replied the head coach when asked how Suzuki was doing. He is still learning what kind of leader he is. At 23, he’s probably not the same leader he will be at 27 or 28. He must remain authentic, he cannot pretend. He must remain himself, he cannot copy a model. And for that, I like it since it remains itself. »
One thing at a time
Like Caufield, St-Louis talks enthusiastically about his connection to Suzuki.
“I would say it’s pretty much the same as Cole,” he said. I also built a great relationship with Nick. I have been with him for a year. He knows that I want his best. When you have mutual respect, you can help him even more in his game. If you go too fast, you sound like a know-it-all guy. I don’t know everything. I didn’t know Suzie. You can’t coach everyone the same way. »
“I can’t wait to see how he can progress as a player. He has a good toolbox. He has big responsibilities and I want to help him with that. »
For the second year in a row, Suzuki took part in the NHL All-Star Game as the sole Habs representative.