Canadiens officially promote Martin St. Louis to HC, announce three-year contract extension

"We are happy to officially appoint Martin as head coach of the Montreal Canadiens," general manager Kent Hughes said, according to a press release. "Martin is a proven leader, a great communicator with a deep understanding of and passion for the game of hockey. His arrival brought a renewed energy to our group, and we look forward to him returning behind the bench to continue guiding our team for the foreseeable future."

St. Louis played 16 seasons in the NHL from 1998 to 2015, making six All-Star teams, capturing the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy three times, the Art Ross Trophy twice and the Hart Memorial Trophy twice, while winning one Stanley Cup championship with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004. The 46-year-old led the NHL in assists and points during the 2003-2004 and 2012-2013 campaigns, while also pacing the league in plus/minus in 2003-2004 at 35.

With 23 Stanley Cup titles, the Canadiens have far and away the most championship victories among all NHL teams. While the franchise made it to the Final in 2021, their most recent trip to the last round prior to that was in 1993, when they captured their last crown.

Nearly half of Montreal's Stanley Cup Finals crowns came during two stretches, when they won five straight from 1955 to 1960 and then four in a row from 1975 to 1979.