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Martin St-Louis outlines why Arber Xhekaj's ice time remains limited
Photo credit: All Montreal Hockey / NHL
The head coach of the Montreal Canadiens, Martin St. Louis, is not hiding his reservations about using rugged left-shot defenseman Arber Xhekaj on a regular basis.
Despite fans wanting to see more minutes for the 24-year-old defenseman, the coach's message is clear: Xhekaj remains an option, not a pillar.
According to an interview recap translating St. Louis' comments:
"It's not that we don't like his development. It's the chair he's in right now[...] All players want quantity (ice time), but the coaches want quality. He needs to continue giving quality with the quantity he has. We know he can play more minutes but there's defencemen in front of him in bigger chairs"
- Martin St-Louis via Chris Habs
- Martin St-Louis via Chris Habs
This clearly shows how he is managing the situation: he wants to respect the player's development, but he also has to follow the hierarchy already in place.
An important reminder about the chair Arber Xhekaj occupies right now
The reality of the numbers speaks for itself. This season, Xhekaj is averaging just over 11 minutes per game, with 0 goals, 1 assist, and 20 penalty minutes in 14 games. His role appears increasingly limited, mainly because the team already relies on several defensemen the coach currently considers more reliable.
Yet this is not the first time Xhekaj has tried to prove himself. In practice, he has multiplied his efforts - pushed by the defense coach - hoping to earn back more ice time.
Sometimes rewarded with a pat on the back from St. Louis after a physical shift, other times punished by being removed from the lineup after a preventable penalty.
It is a delicate situation for the young defenseman. He has the size, he hits hard, and many fans believe in him, but to stay in the NHL, he must be solid on every shift, in discipline and consistency. For now, he remains a bit in the shadows.
Arber isn't the only one facing questionable ice time, as Ivan Demidov's usage is becoming a sensitive topic as well.
The coach is not closing the door on him, but he wants to see him earn every minute, and I like his way of looking at things.
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