The Canadiens exercised the two-year option on Martin St. Louis' contract Wednesday, keeping the head coach behind the bench in Montreal through the 2026-27 season.

St. Louis, 48, guided the Canadiens to a 30-36-16 record this season, resulting in the third consecutive campaign in which the team failed to qualify for the playoffs since reaching the 2021 Stanley Cup Final. He is 75-100-26 since replacing Dominique Ducharme on Feb. 9, 2022.