Martin St-Louis’s First Challenge of the Season

Réjean Tremblay read my article from yesterday morning all the way through… and he was particularly struck by my report about Luc Gélinas. From what I've learned over the past few hours, the 2026–27 season will likely be Luc Gélinas's last at RDS.

What did Réjean do? Like any seasoned journalist, he gave Luc a call to get the straight story.

Did he get the straight story? Yes and no.

Luc played on words by saying he hadn't signed his retirement papers yet, which is factually true. That said, no one was claiming he had signed them. However, I spoke with other people this morning, and Luc does indeed plan not to return in 2027–28. And if he manages to convince his bosses to offer him something attractive to leave before the end of the season, he will indeed be leaving after the holidays.

All of this is likely to be negotiated right up to the last minute, as was recently the case with François Gagnon.

The landscape is changing, the media are trying to adapt, and the job of following a team on the road is disappearing at many media outlets. Luc said it himself to Réjean: “Many major media outlets have stopped sending their reporters abroad, and some evenings can be long.”

We are indeed in the midst of a media revolution.

Martin St-Louis, Much Admired

Luc Gélinas didn't just talk about himself with Réjean; he also—and above all—talked about Martin St-Louis.

Luc G, as he's affectionately known in the industry, has been covering the Canadiens for 37 years, and he's never seen a head coach as well-liked by the team's players as MSL.

“With St-Louis, it's zero. Nothing. Not a word, not a remark, not a sign of discontent. Not even Brendan Gallagher has complained about the coach. Probably because St-Louis went through the same situation at the end of his career. I assume he found the right words to make himself understood and get his decision accepted.” – Luc Gélinas to Réjean Tremblay

It's rare to see a coach who's unanimously supported in the locker room. Usually, it's one-third in favor, one-third against, and one-third neutral. Still, when even the guys who aren't playing appreciate the head coach, it helps bring the group together and win games.