The Montreal Canadiens have signed head coach Martin St. Louis to a contract extension just ahead of the team opening training camp. The team called the extension a “multi-year” deal on Monday as St. Louis gets set to start his fifth full season behind the bench with the team. “Marty has done a terrific job leading our young team,” general manager Kent Hughes. “He is a great communicator and teacher. We look forward to his continued efforts to mold this group into a championship-caliber team.” The Canadiens reached the Eastern Conference final last season for the first time since for the first time since their run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021. The team finished sixth in the NHL with 106 points during the regular season, reaching the playoffs for a second straight years. St. Louis was a finalist for the Jack Adams Award last season and has been a key part of a rebuild in Montreal since joining the team as interim head coach in February of 2022 before taking over permanently four months later. The announcement on St. Louis’ new contract came just after the team announced that Josh Anderson will serve as an alternate captain this season, joining Mike Matheson behind captain Nick Suzuki. Montreal also take care of a key piece of business Sunday, forward Zachary Bolduc to a four-year extension that carries an average annual value of $4.2 million. The Canadiens will open their preseason on Saturday with split-squad games against the Toronto Maple Leafs with the regular season opener looming against Toronto on Sept. 29.
