Martin St-Louis signed a three-year contract extension and officially became the Montreal Canadiens head coach on a permanent basis on Wednesday.

The agreement binding the two parties is thus valid until the end of the 2024-2025 campaign. The 46-year-old former player is therefore the 32nd head instructor in the history of the club, he who replaced Dominique Ducharme on February 9. Having initially taken the reins of the roster on an interim basis, he went 14-19-4. The Habs finished the regular season in last place overall in the National Hockey League.

"We are pleased to have Martin officially become the head coach of the Montreal Canadiens," general manager Kent Hughes said in a statement. Martin has undeniable leadership qualities in addition to being an excellent communicator and a hockey enthusiast. He has a background and a very deep understanding of our sport. His arrival at the helm of the team has breathed new energy into our group and we are excited that he will continue to guide our team in the years to come.”

"Since taking the helm of the team, Martin has shown that he has the qualities required to lead the Canadiens in the direction we want to go," added Jeff Gorton, vice-president, hockey operations. Despite the difficult conditions that prevailed at his debut, he was able to bring a breath of fresh air into the locker room and the players benefited from it both individually and collectively. Martin is a great hockey head and we believe he's the right person to do the job."

The organization has scheduled a press conference for 10 a.m. Wednesday.