Chris Kreider wasn't the only new face at the Montreal Canadiens' golf tournament, and if things work out, this other new addition could have just as big an impact for the Habs.
Even though the Chris Kreider signing stole the show over the last few days, the former Anaheim Duck wasn’t the only new face at the Montreal Canadiens’ golf tournament. Earlier this summer, the Habs hired associate coach Derek Lalonde, and on Monday morning, the media spoke with the new addition for the first time.
When Martin St-Louis was asked what Lalonde’s role would be, he said that he would focus more on the defensive side of the puck; as for the man himself, he explained:
Like most staffs I’ve been on, it’s going to be collaborative; I’ve always been a collaborative coach. The different perspective and uniqueness of being a career coach: I finished my college hockey, and I literally coached for the next 30 years, two months later. So I’m a career coach. I've run into almost every situation; I'm comfortable with everything. I've run everything: power plays, penalty kills, defensive structure. But the fit with this group will be very collaborative. I think Steph [Robidas] and I will pair up a bit, have two [four] eyes on the penalty kill, and a bit on the defensive structure, but it will be very collaborative. That’s who Marty is as an individual anyway, so I think it feels good; it’s a very good fit.
There have long been calls in Montreal for St-Louis to get a more experienced assistant coach, and Trevor Letowski’s decision to step down from his role opened the door to a new hire. Lalonde has plenty of experience, and in the NHL he’s had it all in the Atlantic Division. He was an assistant coach under Jon Cooper with the Tampa Bay Lightning when they won two Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021; he was the Detroit Red Wings head coach for two and a half seasons; and he was also Craig Berube’s assistant with the Toronto Maple Leafs. While there’s been a lot of change in all three organizations since he was part of them, it certainly can’t hurt to have at least experienced them from within.
As for him focusing on the defensive structure and penalty killing, that’s very good news for the Canadiens, as those have been areas where they have struggled in the past. The Habs’ PK was 18th overall in the regular season and 12th overall in the playoffs. Given how important special teams are in the postseason, that’s an area in which Montreal must improve, and it looks like they’ve found the right man for the job.
Lalonde, a Montreal Expos fan as a boy who attended a Stanley Cup Final against the Calgary Flames as a teenager at the Forum, was obviously thrilled to join the organization in a city that feels like home in many ways. His grandfather was from Alfred, Ontario, and spoke French.
Asked what drew him to join the Canadiens, Lalonde explained:
It’s been impressive to watch Marty as a head coach; unique situation, obviously. My time in Tampa: he was a big figure there, and he was successful as a player. We were fortunate to win the second and third Stanley Cups; he was a big part of winning the first. Met him the first time when he had his jersey retired in Tampa. Just more of an acquaintance, but we came in together in the league as first-time head coaches to battle against him; it’s been really impressive to see the growth in the group. Then I was able to talk to Marty in late summer; we connected for the first time, and I was taken aback by the way he talked about his process and his philosophies. I'm not surprised he’s had the success he has with this group; he’s pushed it forward. I think a big part of him is that he’s got a little bit of a natural, player-first partnership relationship with the guys, but still being in charge; he definitely has a sense of accountability for the group. He’s a modern coach in today’s NHL, and it’s been impressive to watch from afar and to get to know him as we started here.
As good a fit as he sees this role in Montreal, though, Lalonde didn’t hesitate for a second to say that he has not given up on being a head coach in the NHL; that’s what he ultimately sees himself as, and nobody will fault him for that. While the Habs may not have made as many additions to their lineup as they would have liked, the Lalonde hire could prove very impactful if he can help this team play with more defensive cohesion.
Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.
Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.
Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.
