We know that Martin St-Louis didn't appreciate the penalties he took in the last game, but the young player apologized, and the consensus was that it happens, let's move on.
The issue is that he's still benched, and it's causing quite a reaction. Journalists certainly weren't going to let Martin off the hook, so they asked him to explain. The coach responded tersely.
It's likely that the explanations to Xhekaj were more detailed, but it's still surprising. Why did the Canadiens call him up if they're just going to rotate him? He was performing well in Laval, showing progress, and the Canadiens already had a surplus of defensemen.
In any case, we'll see how many games his time on the bench lasts, but for now, it's Jordan Harris who has the coach's trust.