Kevin Bieksa Tears the Montreal Canadiens Apart on Hockey Night in Canada
Photo credit: Screenshot
Turn away, Montreal Canadiens supporters. Kevin Bieksa made some hurtful remarks about the team's and some players' poor performance thus far.
Kevin Bieksa, a former NHL player, has displeasure with the Montreal Canadiens' early-season play. He publicly criticized the majority of the Canadiens roster during an intermission segment on "Hockey Night in Canada" to vent his frustrations. Bieksa, who is renowned for his frank analysis, did not mince words when expressing his displeasure with the team's performance from the previous season, leading supporters and analysts to wonder where the team is headed.
With the exception of one player, Bieksa targeted almost every player on the Canadiens. He even criticized a few players, implying that they are not performing up to the standard they set the previous season. Even though Bieksa's remarks may have come across as harsh, they do highlight broader worries in the hockey community about how recent Montreal's times have been, given their advancements. Fans may find this to be a reflection of their frustrations as they have watched the team struggle this season.
Bieksa's remarks about some of the Canadiens' well-known players were arguably the most scathing of all. His remarks appeared to criticize certain team leaders who haven't been performing up to par, which is a common complaint among the team's ardent supporters. Therefore, it appears from these criticisms that Bieksa believes the Canadiens need to make changes to the core of the roster in order to start making progress.
«Everyone else has kind of flatlined,» said Bieksa. «You think about [Kaiden] Guhle, you think about some of their young players, even [Nick] Suzuki, he's kind of flatlined.»
It's noteworthy that Bieksa also included enforcer Arber Xhekaj, who has also drawn criticism from both fans and pundits. Recently, Xhekaj's play has been concerning, and Bieksa supports the idea that his position on the team might need to be reevaluated. The reference to Xhekaj allowed Bieksa to focus on a particular area where the Canadiens seem to lack grit and influence.
"Everyone else has kind of flatlined," said Bieksa. "You think about [Kaiden] Guhle, you think about some of their young players, even [Nick] Suzuki, he's kind of flatlined."
And then there's Arber Xhekaj," began Bieksa. "A guy that I love the way he plays but he's had a really tough season... there's too many mistakes on the ice, there's too many mistakes in the game within the game."
And then there's Arber Xhekaj," began Bieksa. "A guy that I love the way he plays but he's had a really tough season... there's too many mistakes on the ice, there's too many mistakes in the game within the game."
It doesn't take much to see the Canadiens' difficulties, as they have a 4-6-1 record and the worst goal differential in the NHL's Atlantic Division at -15. And Kevin Bieksa's candor highlights the harsh reality: Montreal has serious issues, and they face a difficult road if they want to contend this year. The team's ability to reorganize and find their form is still up in the air, but perhaps Bieksa's criticism will serve as a wake-up call.
Latest 10 stories
