from Eric Engels of Sportsnet,

Canadiens coach Michel Therrien says he would like to shed his reputation as somewhat of a dictator.

“These days it’s not like the old days, that it’s ‘my way or the highway,’” Therrien told reporters at his annual golf tournament on Aug. 11. “It doesn’t work like that.”

Therrien was referring to the approach he intends to take with perplexing forward Alexander Semin, who signed a one-year, $1.1 million free agent deal with the Canadiens on July 24....

Therrien revealed how he hopes to keep not just Semin, but all of his players motivated and focused next season.

“You need to try and build relationships with players, communicate a lot,” he explained. “I truly believe in those things and [believe in] teaching the way you want them to play, the way you want them to compete.”

The question is: when did Therrien adopt this philosophy?

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