He's like the Brahmin caste in hinduist India; basically an untouchable.
He's french-canadian, a former player, a HHOFer, an all-around "good guy" off the ice, and also the actual coach of the Montreal Canadiens. To throw the proverbial "first stone" to such a guy requires guts as it could lead to some backlash if not well formulated, moreso for the french-speaking journalists who will value the opinions of their fans.
And the PR team for the Canadiens are the ones to decide who gets the media access and to what extent, which can be revoked or curtailed if articles and talking points get too "pointed". So the journalists will always be careful when it comes to their coverage of a guy like MSL.