Are the Canadiens misrepresenting Arber Xhekaj? The decision to omit the powerful defenseman after he barely returned from the American League raises eyebrows from Maxim Lapierre.
Xhekaj's indiscipline against the New York Islanders on Thursday night didn't sit well with head coach Martin St-Louis. No coincidence, the “Sheriff” missed his turn against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday evening.
“I don't like it when we take a bull and try to turn him into a little rabbit,” Lapierre lamented during the NHL post-match show following CH's 3-2 overtime loss to the Penguins. The guy is coming. He has character, he has power. In terms of intensity he’s a 10 out of 10, you can tell him to go down to nine… but not two!”
If CH has actually taken Xhekaj out of training because of his penalties, he is playing a dangerous game, believes Lapierre.
“It will be stressful for him to play a role as a physical player. It's like telling Caufield he won't play the next game if he misses the goal. You come back from Laval, make a mistake and go into the stands. For me it's like, “Okay, I can't work anymore.”
See the full excerpt in the video above. Antoine Roussel offered a different point of view, while Pascal Leclaire and Patrick Lalime sided with Lapierre.
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