Do you remember Martin St-Louis’ public outing a few weeks ago?
Arber Xhekaj, then in the sights of his trainer, had to “be better”.
St-Louis did not mince his words, saying loud and clear that he expected his young defender to raise his level of play.
The message was clear: even for a developing player, the coach would not tolerate lackluster performances.
We could believe that this speech was synonymous with fair player management, a requirement shared throughout the team.
But is this really the case?
What we’re wondering today is whether Martin St-Louis will dare to apply the same treatment to another defender whose five-on-five performance leaves much to be desired: Mike Matheson.
Last year, Matheson certainly posted 62 points, an impressive production for a defender.
But one detail tarnishes this assessment: its differential of -24. This figure is revealing. It shows that despite his points on the power play, Matheson struggles to offer defensive stability in even play situations.
And this season, nothing seems to be improving: already a differential of -5 for our assistant captain.
Where is the rigor of St. Louis for Matheson?
If Xhekaj was entitled to public reprimands, why is Matheson, despite worrying statistics, not subjected to the same level of demands?
Why this silence from the coach?
Perhaps because it is difficult to point the finger at a veteran who, through his points, maintains the illusion of solidity.
But there you go, the numbers don’t lie, and what Matheson’s differential tells us is that he is not up to the defensive impact that we expect of him.
We understand that the role of coach in the NHL is not easy, and that criticizing a veteran can create tension.
But by being tolerant with his veterans and putting pressure only on the young people, Martin St-Louis sends a worrying message.
Because what he proves here is that the requirement is not applied uniformly. And if St-Louis had had the same tolerance with Xhekaj, perhaps it would have avoided pushing him publicly.
At this point, Martin St-Louis’ apology to Arber Xhekaj seems in order.
It’s not just a question of fairness, but of respect.
By sparing Matheson despite his flaws, St-Louis demonstrates that the transparency of his speech towards the players is selective.
If the coach truly wants to establish a culture of responsibility, he must be prepared to address everyone in the same way, without distinction.
Amen
