Watching the Canadiens’ latest loss to the Anaheim Ducks, it became clear that head coach Martin St-Louis is running out of patience with two of his top-six forwards.
Kirby Dach had a rough night, finishing with just 11:57 of ice time and a minus-2 rating. He managed only one shot on goal, recorded no hits, and took an undisciplined penalty after the second-period buzzer—forcing the Habs to start the third shorthanded. His last shift came midway through the final frame, where he was on the ice for the Ducks’ game-winning goal. After that, St-Louis kept him glued to the bench, even as the team pushed for an equalizer.
As for Patrik Laine, it’s hard not to think St-Louis was channeling his old coach, John Tortorella. The big Finn looked sluggish and uninspired, registering a single shot on net (on the power play) and finishing minus-1. His third-period involvement was minimal—a lone 32-second shift early in the frame—before he too found himself benched for the remainder of the game, including when Montreal pulled Montembeault for an extra attacker.
“I didn’t think he [Laine] was helping the team at that point,” St-Louis explained postgame. “It’s a decision I had to make.”
While St-Louis has often been criticized for being too patient with struggling players, it appears that patience has run dry. In a last-ditch attempt to shake things up, he swapped Alex Newhook for Juraj Slafkovsky onto Dach and Laine’s line in the third period. But the experiment failed. It’s worth noting that Newhook wasn’t struggling—he logged 15:56, tallied an assist, recorded a shot, and delivered three hits.
It’s fair to acknowledge that both Dach and Laine have missed significant time due to injuries, and in Laine’s case, a stint in the NHL’s Player Assistance Program last season. But 52 games into the campaign, timing should no longer be an excuse—especially when the issue is seemingly effort, or in some cases, a complete lack thereof.
This isn’t Dach’s first wake-up call. Earlier in the season, St-Louis benched him before demoting him to the fourth line in the following game—though he did remain on the power play.
First line isn’t clicking. Dach and Slaf look lost in the woods. Montembeault isn’t a starter. Andy is playing hurt Ironically, the only ones who look like they have their shot figured out are Evans, Dvo, Armia and Gally I don’t expect a bottom finish, but middle at best. Figure it out #gohabsgo
— Annik Lemire (@alemiredesigns.bsky.social) 2025-02-03T00:10:30.364Z
A Temporary solution?
With the Canadiens mired in a five-game losing streak and Kent Hughes yet to make a move to bolster the roster, the answers must come from within.
Some argue that both Laine and Dach should be punished with fourth-line duties. While I agree Dach has earned a demotion from the second line as a wake-up call, Laine’s case is different.
Rather than benching Laine further, I’d take the opposite approach: after keeping him sidelined for most of the third period, I’d give him a prime opportunity to prove himself.
Here’s the lineup I’d test in San Jose:
Caufield – Suzuki – Laine
Newhook – Evans – Slafkovsky
Anderson – Dvorak – Dach
Gallagher – Beck – Armia
Matheson – Carrier
Hutson – Savard
Xhekaj – Mailloux
Dobeš
Justification and Conclusion
Placing Laine on the top line with Caufield and Suzuki removes any excuses. If he wants to be a top player, it’s now on him to prove it. The message is clear: the coach believes in his ability, but the leash is short. If the results aren’t conclusive, or if the effort still isn’t there, he will only have himself to blame. Why a promotion instead of a demotion? Because the Canadiens have 8.7 million reasons (for one more year) to want to see him succeed.
Slafkovsky, meanwhile, has been inconsistent—which is expected for a 20-year-old. Slotting him alongside Evans, who has been the Canadiens’ second-best center this season, gives that line a strong defensive presence while challenging Slafkovsky to drive play.
Anderson and Dvorak have been quietly effective together—Anderson all season (despite possibly playing through an injury), and Dvorak since being placed between him and Gallagher. They bring enough offense but, more importantly, can help cover some of Dach’s defensive lapses, as he holds a league-worst minus-27 rating. Moving him to the wing in a third-line role reduces his responsibilities, allows him to face easier opposition, and might help him regain confidence.
It’s unfortunate to push Gallagher down to the fourth line, but Armia has been on that line in spite of playing well too. This setup allows both veterans to insulate rookie Owen Beck, who would finally get a chance to play his natural position—unlike his first two games in the lineup this year, when he played seven or eight minutes per game on the wing.
With two games left on this California road trip before returning home for a pair before the 4-Nations’ break, it’s time to see what the young guys have in them and for two key veterans to show their true colours. Montreal needs answers, and St-Louis needs results. This lineup might be the first step toward both. One thing seems to be clear: both Laine and Dach might be playing their future in Montreal.