(Vancouver) The Canadiens and the Canucks don’t have much in common, but they have at least this: a coaching change that has been good.
Posted at 4:20 p.m.
While the Canadian lives better days thinking above all about the next season, the Canucks find themselves engaged in a race for a place in the playoffs, a scenario to say the least unexpected.
A bit like the Canadian with Martin St-Louis, the Canucks have also experienced a form of rebirth this season. In their case, it was the arrival of Bruce Boudreau on December 5 that changed everything.
Under former coach Travis Green, Darcy Rota’s former club was 8-15-2, but since Boudreau is behind the bench, the Canucks are 20-8-4.
“Guys know exactly where we are, he explained in Vancouver Monday noon. I talk to them about it every day. The guys know that we’re going to play our next seven games at home, and then there will be games on the road. Our players enjoy playing games that are meaningful at this time of year. »
The Canadian, who comes here to face the Canucks on Wednesday night, has also had better days recently with a new coach, and Bruce Boudreau is not surprised.
“Martin (St-Louis) retired as a player fairly recently,” he added. He knows the reality of the players and he knows what they like, he knows how to treat them.
“I remember the first time I coached a team against him (in 1999-00) in the American League, when Martin was with Saint John… He had five points in that game against us, and I wondering what he was doing playing in this league! At the moment, I think the guys at the Canadiens are reacting the same way our team here did when I took over: they’re playing without any stress, they’re playing like the club that ended up in the Stanley Cup final. last season, and Martin is part of that revival. »
One can probably wonder if a relaunch of the Canadian would have had such an effect in December, and then lead to a race for the playoffs at the moment as is the case here.
Anyway, in Vancouver, the magic wand worked, and as of Monday, the Canucks found themselves just four points from a playoff spot in the Western Conference.
“We believe in this group that is here,” explained forward Tyler Motte. Each player has a role to play, each line has a role to play, and even when there are changes to be made in the formation, we accept it and move on. We have to find a way to continue like this. »