Arber Xhekaj became an instant hit with Montreal Canadiens fans not just because he could fight but also because he’s a hard worker who beat the odds and got to the NHL without being drafted. He’s from an immigrant family that worked tirelessly to make its kids’ dreams come true, and it worked. He’s the underdog everyone loves.
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While he’s a fan favourite, the left-shot blueliner finds himself in quite a crowded space on the team. The left side of the defense is full of young and hungry defensemen who want to be part of this team long-term, but nobody knows yet who will be left standing when the dust settles.
Mike Matheson and Lane Hutson are quite comfortable in their respective chairs, and Xhekaj and Jayden Struble are fighting for the third chair. They’ve already outlasted Jordan Harris, who was sacrificed to acquire Patrik Laine. But if one thing was made clear by Kent Hughes’s contract with The Sheriff this summer, he’s still auditioning.
Hughes didn’t commit to Wifi, as Chris Wideman used to call him, long-term as he did to Guhle. He still has to win his chair. Yes, he brings something no one else brings to the defense corps in Montreal in his ability to fight and protect his teammates, but that doesn’t mean he’s exempt from fulfilling the rest of the duties that befall a rearguard.
Right now, Xhekaj is competing with Struble, who is in the last year of his entry-level contract. Hughes needs to know exactly what he brings, and he needs to know that at the NHL level, Struble has to play.
A rotation system is nothing new on the Montreal blueline, it’s been used for the last two seasons, it’s not a shock. Now, because Xhekaj was made to sit out the last two games, former Canadiens enforcer Georges Laraque believes it means he will get traded and his days are numbered in Montreal as he said on local sports radio station BPM Sport.
Related: Canadiens: What to Expect From Arber Xhekaj
I believe he’s jumping the gun big time here. There were numerous reports from insiders such as Elliotte Friedman that Hughes was getting calls from other teams to inquire about Xhekaj’s availability last season, but he turned them down. Speaking to TVA Sports last season, the GM explained why the blueliner was in Laval, and it wasn’t because he was no longer part of the team’s plan. No matter how talented a fighter or how good a fighting coach Laraque is, he’s sometimes quick to jump to conclusions.
While the rugged defenseman is a hit with fans and has interesting attributes in his toolbox, it doesn’t mean he’s automatically owed a permanent spot in the lineup. He needs to learn to pay his dues if he is offended by sitting out sometimes.
I don’t buy the “Martin St-Louis doesn’t like him” narrative or the “St-Louis doesn’t want any tough guys on the team” one. The coach simply wants his players to be able to play a well-rounded game. Was he content with Cole Caufield being a sniper-only player? No, he worked with him on other aspects of his game, which is also what is going on here with Xhekaj.
So, in the words of a wise goalie from the not-so-distant past, “Chill out.” We’re seven games into an 82-game season, and it will be a long and winding road. As the Beatles once sang, don’t burn yourself out just yet.
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