Martin St-Louis' Game 7 usage exposed a major Canadiens problem before series vs Hurricanes

This is not a normal ice-time complaint. This is a playoff trust story, and the Canadiens' bench told it loudly.

Xhekaj was dressed for Game 7 against Buffalo, but he barely existed in the rotation once the night tightened.

After two periods, Lane Hutson had already logged 19:03. Xhekaj sat at 1:52.

That split is not a tweak. It is a coach cutting one defenseman out of the working group.

The eye test made the reaction sharper because Xhekaj did not look buried by the pace early.

By the final buzzer, Hutson had carried 31:17 while Xhekaj stayed at 1:52. That is the whole story.

Montreal is not walking into the Hurricanes series with a soft opponent waiting. Carolina went 53-22-7, and that forecheck can grind down a thin blue line fast.

The second post put the issue in plain view: Montreal leaned on Hutson while Xhekaj stayed parked.

That creates two problems for St-Louis. One is Xhekaj's confidence. The other is the wear on everyone else.

Zachary Bolduc belongs in this conversation too. He produced 1 goal in the latest game context, and fans are right to question whether his usage should climb.

The Canadiens went 48-24-10, so this is not panic. It is playoff management under pressure, where one bench decision can shape the next matchup.

Xhekaj now needs either a real role or a clear answer. Floating between dressed and unused helps nobody inside that locker room.

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