Mutual respect among opponents is one of the most beautiful things about sports. And that’s exactly what Montreal Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis received from Winnipeg Jets bench boss Rick Bowness on Monday.
During a pre-game press conference ahead of tonight’s bout against the Canadiens, Bowness was asked to assess Montreal’s style of play in two words.
“They’re creative and they’re fast,” the Moncton native said before elaborating with some thoughts on St. Louis as a first-time coach.
“Marty’s let them go,” the veteran coach added. “He’s doing a great job.”
The 68-year-old, whose team is riding an impressive 18-9-2 record, also commented on St. Louis’ passion for the game, which is something he saw firsthand as an associate coach for the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2013-14 season.
“He’s got a lot of young players that keep getting better so he’s developing good young players. He’s got a great hockey mind, he’s got a great passion for the game,” Bowness explained. “I think he’s done an outstanding job there.”
According to him, the Laval native encourages a “worry-free” playing style, which has allowed the rebuilding Habs to play beyond people’s expectations.
“Those kids are able to play worry-free,” Bowness added. “They’re not worried about making mistakes. They’re gonna learn from those mistakes. He gives them the green light to go.”
When asked about his impressions of Winnipeg, St. Louis first took the opportunity to give Bowness’ wife, who recently suffered a seizure, his regards,
“First off, it’s nice to see Rick Bowness back behind the bench, we all wish Judy well,” St. Louis told reporters.
“The team (Winnipeg) is very dialled in right now. We have a tough task to try to beat a really good team tonight on the road,” he added. “We’re gonna have to bring our best.”
Along with the friendliness of colleagues, tonight’s Habs/Jets matchup contains another connection — on the family front. Montreal defenceman Justin Barron and his brother Morgan, a forward on the Jets, will face off at the NHL level for the second time.
Puck drop at Canada Life Centre is set for 7:30 pm ET/4:30 pm PT.