This isn’t the first time Martin St-Louis has coached Chris Kreider

As we know by now, Chris Kreider signed with the Canadiens in part because Martin St-Louis is the team's head coach.

The two have an excellent relationship, which dates back to the years when Martin St. Louis finished his playing career with the New York Rangers.

Kreider, then just a young player, was in town at the time. He learned a great deal from St-Louis—in fact, St-Louis is the teammate from whom he learned the most during his playing career.

Chris Kreider says he never learned more from a teammate than when Marty St. Louis was his linemate. He says Marty St. Louis is a big part of the reason he signed with the @CanadiensMTL @thesickpodcasts pic.twitter.com/whtXKVT0la

— Tony Marinaro (@TonyMarinaro) September 14, 2026

And now, St. Louis will be coaching him. He's the first player under his guidance who was also a former teammate.

It must make him feel his age, just like a teacher who realizes he once taught the mother or father of one of his new students. Time flies, sometimes…

For Kreider, however, learning from St-Louis wasn't limited to his time as a player.

In fact, the year before St-Louis took over as head coach of the Canadiens, Kreider had reached out to him to see if they could work together over the summer.

St-Louis had said yes.

We know that the Quebec native had long aspired to a coaching career and already had his own methods. In particular, the two men reviewed game footage together and went skating.

Kreider says that the year before St. Louis was hired in Montreal, he reached out to Marty and asked to work with him one-on-one:

“So generous. He sat down. He went over game footage with me. He didn't have to do that… I also got on the ice with him one-on-one at the time.”…

— Kenzie Lalonde (@KenzieTSN) September 14, 2026

Extension

Seeing that Kreider has always had that kind of confidence in St. Louis—and that it's paying off for the Habs today—is a good thing for the organization as a whole.

After all, we know the coach was hired for his skills. That said, if the Habs can also benefit from his network of contacts, it's a two-for-one deal. Right?