Martin St-Louis' Emotional Reaction That Captured Montreal's Heart
Now that the dust has settled, we can say it - the atmosphere at the Montreal Canadiens' season opener against the Seattle Kraken was simply electric.
In fact, even before the first faceoff, the Bell Centre was already buzzing.
Announcer Michel Lacroix had just said Martin St-Louis's name, and within seconds, the entire arena was on its feet - and stayed that way for quite a while.
A massive ovation for the Quebec-born coach, who couldn't help but smile and make an emotional gesture, his hand over his heart.
It was a perfect night to start the season, with a dream scenario: a 5-4 overtime win sealed by Cole Caufield, a game-tying goal from Ivan Demidov, and above all, a heartfelt tribute to Ken Dryden.
But after the game, in my opinion, it was Martin St-Louis's message that stole the show.
Martin St-Louis moved by the ovation from Montreal Canadiens fans
Clearly touched by this outpouring of love, St-Louis spoke candidly to reporters, as reported by NHL.com:
"I had a lot of emotions. It's flattering. I appreciate the love from the fans and I love them just as much as they love me. I'm proud to be behind this bench. I grew up here, I was a fan of the CanadiensI don't take this lightly, I try to earn the respect everyday."
- Martin St-Louis
- Martin St-Louis
Here's the clip that gives you chills:
The coach went on to add:
"I grew up here. I was a Canadiens fan. I don't take that lightly - I try to earn respect every day."
His remarks quickly spread across social media, with many fans highlighting how deeply St-Louis seems to understand Montreal's passion.
In the locker room, his players also reacted. Noah Dobson said their coach "really deserved that ovation", emphasizing the energy and culture he has built since arriving.
I honestly think Martin St-Louis embodies the passion and pride of being part of the Canadiens.
It may sound cliché, but on Tuesday night, it felt like all of Quebec was saying thank you.
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