Canadiens' Martin St. Louis Focused on Playoff Run, Not Emotional Ties to Lightning

Former Lightning star and current Canadiens coach says he has 'zero' emotion attached to his old team ahead of playoff matchup.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 6:44am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a hockey game between the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning, with sharp planes of color and overlapping perspectives capturing the intensity of the playoff matchup.A cubist interpretation of the high-stakes playoff clash between Martin St. Louis' Canadiens and his former team, the Lightning.Today in Tampa

Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis, who spent 13 of his 16 NHL seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning and won a Stanley Cup with the franchise in 2004, says he has 'zero' emotion attached to his old team as the Canadiens prepare to face the Lightning in the playoffs. St. Louis, who is in his fourth season with the Canadiens, is focused solely on guiding his current team to a Stanley Cup championship, rather than dwelling on his past accomplishments and connections with the Lightning.

Why it matters

St. Louis' lack of emotional investment in the Lightning despite his storied career with the franchise speaks to his professionalism and singular focus on the task at hand with the Canadiens. His ability to separate his personal history from the current playoff matchup could give the Canadiens an edge as they look to upset the perennial contenders from Tampa Bay.

The details

St. Louis was the Lightning's captain and led the team to its first Stanley Cup in 2004, winning the Hart Trophy as league MVP that season. He is third in franchise history in career points, trailing only Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos. However, St. Louis says he is 'so far removed' from his time with the Lightning, having spent the last four seasons coaching the Canadiens. He noted that the first time he returned to Tampa's arena after joining Montreal was 'a little weird,' but that any emotional connection to his old team is now gone as he is solely focused on the Canadiens' playoff push.

  • The Canadiens and Lightning will face off in Game 1 of their playoff series on Sunday, April 23, 2026 in Tampa, Florida.

The players

Martin St. Louis

A former NHL player who spent 13 of his 16 seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning, winning a Stanley Cup and the Hart Trophy as league MVP in 2004. He is currently the head coach of the Montreal Canadiens.

Nikita Kucherov

A star forward for the Tampa Bay Lightning and one of the franchise's all-time leading scorers.

Steven Stamkos

The captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning and one of the franchise's all-time leading scorers.

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What they’re saying

“I don't have any emotion attached to the Lightning right now. Zero. Honestly, I think I'm so far removed from that. You know, I think it's my fourth (full) year now (with Montreal). I've gone to the building plenty of times. I think the first time I went, yeah, it was a little weird. But I'm so far removed from that.”

— Martin St. Louis, Head Coach, Montreal Canadiens

What’s next

Game 1 of the playoff series between the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning is scheduled for Sunday, April 23, 2026 in Tampa, Florida.

The takeaway

Martin St. Louis' ability to separate his personal history with the Lightning from the current playoff matchup between his Canadiens and his former team speaks to his professionalism and singular focus on guiding Montreal to a Stanley Cup championship. His lack of emotional investment in facing his old franchise could give the Canadiens a mental edge as they look to upset the perennial contenders from Tampa Bay.