Much ink has been spilled in recent weeks regarding the relationship between Martin St-Louis and Arber Xhekaj. It seems that the coach doesn't hold the big man in very high esteem, and his comments have sometimes been more blunt towards him.
It is true that Xhekaj tends to repeat the same mistakes at times, and it's understandable that St-Louis may be impatient. However, he will never hesitate to give credit where credit is due.
Indeed, with the team against the ropes with Jordan Harris injured and Kaiden Guhle not at 100%, Xhekaj becomes an important member of the club, and he responded with gusto on Tuesday night.
He dropped the gloves, moved the puck well, and was solid in his zone. When he came out of the penalty box after his five minutes, his teammates congratulated him, and so did the coach.
It's an ungrateful job to protect your teammates, and the sheriff does it masterfully. He never backs down from anyone, and when he plays like he did on Tuesday night, he establishes order.
It's really nice to see that his work is acknowledged, and especially to see that Martin St-Louis takes the time to tell him. After blaming him and sending him to the stands, it's a nice reward for the young player.
