Martin St-Louis Reveals What he Really Thinks of Arber Xhekaj in Latest Press Conference
The Montreal Canadiens' head coach, Martin St-Louis, was asked about his young defenseman, Arber Xhekaj, in recent hours.
Just days after heavily criticizing Xhekaj in a very public manner, St-Louis' tone had changed completely today.
Martin St-Louis expressed that he's very pleased with Xhekaj's progress, as he's following his coaches' instructions and is open to adjusting his approach.
Martin St-Louis shares his opinion on Arber Xhekaj
Here's an excerpt from his comments.
«I was a young player who spent time in the stands and on a fourth line. Obviously, I didn't have the same confidence as when I was a top-six player. You have to find your identity. There's pressure to play well and execute properly to keep your spot.»
«All teams use seven defensemen,» St-Louis also added, noting that Xhekaj sometimes has to skip his turn simply due to internal competition.
Additionally, let's remember that the Sheriff will be suited up tonight against the Calgary Flames, while Justin Barron will remain in the stands for the second game in a row.
Xhekaj, who is 23 years old, is a 6-foot-4 left-shot defenseman. This season, he has 0 points in 9 games, with 12 penalty minutes and a -5 rating.
However, his impact on the ice and with his teammates can't be measured by stats alone, even though it's very significant.
What's your prediction for tonight's game? Do you think Martin St-Louis made the right decision by immediately putting Xhekaj back into action?
Personally, we love the decision!
You can find the full press conference here:
In case you missed it, earlier today, Arber Xhekaj opened up publicly about his relationship with his coach Martin St-Louis:
POLL |
NOVEMBRE 5 | 1598 ANSWERS Martin St-Louis Reveals What he Really Thinks of Arber Xhekaj in Latest Press Conference Who do you think is the toughest guy in the NHL? |
Arber Xhekaj | 972 | 60.8 % |
Mathieu Olivier | 111 | 6.9 % |
Matt Rempe or Ryan Reaves | 179 | 11.2 % |
Nicolas Deslauriers | 336 | 21 % |
List of polls |
|
1 hour ago | By Elias Adaime Major Development in Pittsburgh Sparks Kris Letang-to-Canadiens Rumors |
|
2 hours ago | By Elias Adaime Bettman and the NHL May Regret Utah Expansion as Latest Attendance Numbers Surface |
|
4 hours ago | By Elias Adaime Jakub Dobes Corrects a Journalist During a Press Conference and Makes a Strong Gesture |
|
6 hours ago | By Elias Adaime Two Major Injuries Announced and Confirmed Within the Montreal Canadiens Organization |
|
6 hours ago | By Elias Adaime Star Forward Reportedly Wants to Join Patrik Laine and the Montreal Canadiens |
|
8 hours ago | By Elias Adaime Captain Nick Suzuki Speaks Out on Sam Montembeault and Jakub Dobes Live on TV |
|
10 hours ago | By Elias Adaime Referee Confirms a Major Change Supposed to Be Made Following the Canadiens vs. Rangers Game |
|
12 hours ago | By Elias Adaime Emotional Moment for Jakub Dobes on Camera as a Special Guest Makes an Appearance |
Previously on HabsFanatics