Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St-Louis ranks as the seventh-best coach in the National Hockey League, according to a recent evaluation published by The Hockey News. Entering his fifth full season behind the bench for the 2026-27 campaign, St-Louis continues to draw recognition across the league as his roster steadily improves.
The Hockey News Places St-Louis Seventh Overall
According to Adam Proteau of The Hockey News, who authored the coaching assessment, Martin St-Louis earned the seventh spot in the publication’s league-wide ranking. St-Louis took over the Canadiens at the start of their rebuilding phase and has systematically raised the team’s point totals across his first four full campaigns. Under his guidance, Montreal finished with 68 points in his first full year, followed by 76 points, 91 points, and reaching 106 points in the most recent campaign.
Managing the Youngest Roster in the League
Despite entering his third season leading the youngest roster in the NHL, St-Louis consistently translates youth and development into competitive results on the ice. According to the analysis by The Hockey News, this ability to extract performance from a developing group is a primary driver behind his rising standing among league bench bosses.
Chasing Stanley Cup Success in Montreal
Observers frequently compare his trajectory to coaches like Rod Brind’Amour in Carolina, whose success with a single organization makes him a natural candidate for future builder consideration.
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