Player Discussion Arber Xhekaj: The Sheriff

Canadienna

Registered User
Jan 27, 2015
12,815
18,054
MSL calling Xhekaj out is interesting, but I don't think it's necessarily proof he thinks poorly of him.

To me Xhekaj has just as much or more potential than every other D outside of Hutson/Guhle.

Sometimes you're harder on the guys who you know have more to give, even if their play doesn't deserve it relative to others.
 
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Sorinth

Registered User
Jan 18, 2013
11,529
6,156
MSL calling Xhekaj out is interesting, but I don't think it's necessarily proof he thinks poorly of him.

To me Xhekaj has just as much or more potential than every other D outside of Hutson/Guhle.

Sometimes you're harder on the guys who you know have more to give, even if their play doesn't deserve it relative to others.
There's also the argument that different personalities respond best to different motivational techniques, it's possible MSL believes a public criticism "fuels" Xhekaj more so then a private one.
 
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Bourdon101

Registered User
Jul 21, 2012
949
247
Hire the best beat coach available and a translator lol. Get with the 2000s. F the French media.
This stupid take again...

It will never happen. They will never F the French media, it's by their biggest audience. This is just a reality. If you don't like it, pick a team who's fanbase isn't French. You have your pick of every other team in the league.

Regarding Xhekaj, I think it's clear that without him in the lineup, this team will get bullied. I would not be surprised if they traded for a bottom-6 enforcer just to be able to sit this kid.
 

Canadienna

Registered User
Jan 27, 2015
12,815
18,054
Technically, MSL didn't call Xhekaj out, he was answering a question asked about Xhekaj to a journalist. Maybe the fans should ask the media why they never ask questions about Dvorak or Matheson.

We'll to be fair, Dvorak and Matheson hadn't been sitting, which is what precipitated the question.

And I think it's fair to characterize MSL's comments as calling him out. He didn't have to answer the way he did.

Though like I said, calling him out isn't necessarily a bad thing.
 
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Habs13

Registered User
Dec 30, 2004
14,526
11,778
Montreal
The part of his comment about Xhekaj not being a rookie anymore is true but he has barely played 100 NHL games. Not sure why he appears to not be a favorite of MSL.

One thing I saw a media pundit mention was that the team seems to be ok with losing and just look disinterested. Are they starting to tune MSL out?
...Umm, Marty, bruv... you're not a f***ing rookie coach anymore either, pal. Careful what fingers you start pointing.
 

habdynasty

Registered User
May 26, 2008
7,542
3,129
This stupid take again...

It will never happen. They will never F the French media, it's by their biggest audience. This is just a reality. If you don't like it, pick a team who's fanbase isn't French. You have your pick of every other team in the league.

Regarding Xhekaj, I think it's clear that without him in the lineup, this team will get bullied. I would not be surprised if they traded for a bottom-6 enforcer just to be able to sit this kid.
Don’t bitch about the French coach then. Stupid
 

Habs13

Registered User
Dec 30, 2004
14,526
11,778
Montreal
This stupid take again...

It will never happen. They will never F the French media, it's by their biggest audience. This is just a reality. If you don't like it, pick a team who's fanbase isn't French. You have your pick of every other team in the league.

Regarding Xhekaj, I think it's clear that without him in the lineup, this team will get bullied. I would not be surprised if they traded for a bottom-6 enforcer just to be able to sit this kid.
There's such an easy solution to this, too. How many of the current players are Francophones? Hmm. So maybe the team stops playing patsy to the media altogether and prevent coach from talking to the media altogether. Have two or three players show up to press conferences with Robidas or Hughes instead.
 

Sorinth

Registered User
Jan 18, 2013
11,529
6,156
There's such an easy solution to this, too. How many of the current players are Francophones? Hmm. So maybe the team stops playing patsy to the media altogether and prevent coach from talking to the media altogether. Have two or three players show up to press conferences with Robidas or Hughes instead.
I wouldn't be surprised if in 20 years things will be quite different. Traditional media/journalism is dying a slow death, and if Molson was smart he would try to accelerate that process by having the team engage more directly with the fans and skip over the middleman journalists.

For example, a reddit ama type of event after each game where fans can ask questions directly to the coach/players would make a lot of the media's job fairly irrelevant.
 
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Tyson

Registered User
Mar 1, 2007
48,988
70,901
Texas
Good luck.

MSL is as close to a rockstar as this team has… the media here fawn over him at every turn. If he was to fart in a microphone, the entire crew on L’Antichambre would chip in to buy it
The media in Montreal has always had to kiss the ass of the Habs or they fall out of favor. You never get legitimate tough questions.
 

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