Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
After a superb stretch of dominant games, things got more complicated for defenseman Arber Xhekaj against the Vancouver Canucks.
It didn’t take long for things to get heated on the Canadiens’ bench. After the Canucks’ third goal, Arber Xhekaj practically disappeared from the game.
On X, Anthony Martineau noted that the defenseman was penalized by his head coach and that he had not seen the ice at all in the third period.
“Arber Xhekaj has only been back on the ice once since the Canucks’ third goal.
No shifts in the third period so far.”
– Anthony Martineau
The detail that stings is the context. Xhekaj had just committed a costly turnover that directly led to the Canucks’ third goal. On a night where the Montreal Canadiens ultimately won 6-3, Martin St-Louis’ management decision still left a mark.
Xhekaj Benched, Everyone Notices-But the Defenseman Isn’t Rattled
This type of sanction doesn’t stay hidden for long in a locker room.
When a player is glued to the bench after a goal that shifts momentum, everyone notices, including the Centre Bell crowd. And when it happens to a defenseman who always draws attention, it automatically becomes a topic of discussion.
For his part, Xhekaj does not appear overly bothered by Martin St-Louis’ decision. He seems to accept the coach’s call.
“When you’re out of the lineup, it’s tough. You’re thinking any mistake is gonna get you out of the lineup and you don’t really know what’s gonna happen. But I don’t worry about that stuff anymore. I just play.”
– Arber Xhekaj
St-Louis, for his part, doesn’t do this for show. He has used this lever in the past, and the idea remains the same: punish a specific sequence, not a career. The Canadiens still found a way to win, but Xhekaj’s night remained unresolved.
The real question now is what comes next. Does Xhekaj return to the rotation as early as the next game, tonight’s matchup, or does the pressure stay on a little longer?
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Arber Xhekaj breaks his silence after third-period benching by St-Louis
Did Martin St-Louis make the right call by benching Arber Xhekaj?
