Good signing but thought Canadiens might lock him long term with others. Keep core group together. As Been reports multiple teams were calling about Wifi this summer and Habs said he's not available. Sounds like he's in long term plans.
Yeah Arber just needs to stop taking the chintzy penalties.With Guhle signed to a significant deal it should give Arber and Justin some hard perspective about where they stand with the organization. I mean, both were signed to the cheapest show-me deals that their agents would accept and the time is now for both to get it together.
It also makes one or both of them prime candidates to be traded which should light a fire under both. Arber must clean up the bad penalties or else he's gone. In my opinion it would be a big mistake to trade him but I have an attachment to this style of NHLer so it clouds my view of his warts I guess.
Hughes as to have injury worry there. Otherwise you'll think he would locked Wifi long term. While he can get him cheap. Bridge contracts don't work out on core players.He's had 2 blown shoulders.
2 years, to show us what you got and ensure the blown out shoulders aren't an issue.
All excellent points and I want to add that when I watched Arber last season, I felt he got in trouble when he wasn't moving his feet or having the instinct to realize how fast his opponent was. This is nothing new for bigger players, especially younger guys getting used to the speed of the NHL. He is a good skater but like other heavier players, it takes longer to move a bigger frame hence the reason he gets penalized for stick work.Yeah Arber just needs to stop taking the chintzy penalties.
I pointed out last season that when he nullifies a couple of players in scrums the Refs appreciate it.
This will eventually lead to him copping more breaks on calls like the good vets get.
Half of the penalties he took in the corners and in front of the net were never called against Weber.
I've said it more than once I can live with the hard two minutes like clocking someone with his gauntlets on when necessary.
Smart vets do it all the time sending a clear message without having to sit for five.
The triple H's are what I can't stand from any player. Hooking holding and high sticking.
If they were having any issues getting through to him they sent him a hard message with this contract. He has to be better or he's gone. He is a fan fav but we have to trust the instincts of management and the coaching staff because they see what we don't. I want to see him be a hab for many years but he needs to get better and sadly he won't be afforded the leniency given to a first-round pick, he has to always prove himself.Hughes as to have injury worry there. Otherwise you'll think he would locked Wifi long term. While he can get him cheap. Bridge contracts don't work out on core players.
If I was opposing GM I would have offer sheeted Wifi. I'd give up late first to gamble on Wifi. Odds are Wifi be better player than 30th pick in draft. Looking at 6 million Hughes would had to swallowed hard. Good chance I would have got him
Yeah Arber just needs to stop taking the chintzy penalties.
I pointed out last season that when he nullifies a couple of players in scrums the Refs appreciate it.
This will eventually lead to him copping more breaks on calls like the good vets get.
Half of the penalties he took in the corners and in front of the net were never called against Weber.
I've said it more than once I can live with the hard two minutes like clocking someone with his gauntlets on when necessary.
Smart vets do it all the time sending a clear message without having to sit for five.
The triple H's are what I can't stand from any player. Hooking holding and high sticking.
Other GM have enough work with their own depth chart, salary cap. Personnally, I wouldnt want to see Hugues offer sheeted a 5/6th dman of another team. This kind of mismanagement could come back haunt us somedayHughes as to have injury worry there. Otherwise you'll think he would locked Wifi long term. While he can get him cheap. Bridge contracts don't work out on core players.
If I was opposing GM I would have offer sheeted Wifi. I'd give up late first to gamble on Wifi. Odds are Wifi be better player than 30th pick in draft. Looking at 6 million Hughes would had to swallowed hard. Good chance I would have got him
Giving 6m to a #5-6 defenseman is beyond absurd..... The ''opposing GM'' need to get fired, if he believe Arber is worth 6m.Hughes as to have injury worry there. Otherwise you'll think he would locked Wifi long term. While he can get him cheap. Bridge contracts don't work out on core players.
If I was opposing GM I would have offer sheeted Wifi. I'd give up late first to gamble on Wifi. Odds are Wifi be better player than 30th pick in draft. Looking at 6 million Hughes would had to swallowed hard. Good chance I would have got him
I have no idea what it means that you claim Arber is starting to become our "Mike Komisarek"Giving 6m to a #5-6 defenseman is beyond absurd..... The ''opposing GM'' need to get fired, if he believe Arber is worth 6m.
Seriously, Arber is slowly starting to become our new ''Mike Komisarek''.
Yup, behind the play and out of position leads to his minor penalties not his toughness save a few instigator penalties. Needs to build a solid D game.All excellent points and I want to add that when I watched Arber last season, I felt he got in trouble when he wasn't moving his feet or having the instinct to realize how fast his opponent was. This is nothing new for bigger players, especially younger guys getting used to the speed of the NHL. He is a good skater but like other heavier players, it takes longer to move a bigger frame hence the reason he gets penalized for stick work.
Because he is young and surrounded by competition who are fighting for his spot, he will not have the luxury of continuing these bad habits. It would have been better for him to try and drop 10-15 pounds and get a little quicker as a means of being more effective. MSL is not going to keep him in the lineup because he can KO guys, he has to be able to play.
An undrafted player who missed an entire season of hockey during covid is most assuredly not done developing.Yup, behind the play and out of position leads to his minor penalties not his toughness save a few instigator penalties. Needs to build a solid D game.
You would have gotten Xhekaj for a first and then entered cap hell. A GM giving 6 millions to Xhekaj should be fired the next day. Even if he reaches his ceiling+++ 6 millions will still be too much money,Hughes as to have injury worry there. Otherwise you'll think he would locked Wifi long term. While he can get him cheap. Bridge contracts don't work out on core players.
If I was opposing GM I would have offer sheeted Wifi. I'd give up late first to gamble on Wifi. Odds are Wifi be better player than 30th pick in draft. Looking at 6 million Hughes would had to swallowed hard. Good chance I would have got him
He will always have to do more because of that. We have all seen multiple first and second-round flops get 200-plus games in the league because they were scouted to be more and teams hope that the player will eventually justify the reason they were highly touted.An undrafted player who missed an entire season of hockey during covid is most assuredly not done developing.
For sure. I like how he moves for a big man and has nerves of steel so It feels like good coaching and ice time would do it.An undrafted player who missed an entire season of hockey during covid is most assuredly not done developing.
Komisarek????? Are you serious??Giving 6m to a #5-6 defenseman is beyond absurd..... The ''opposing GM'' need to get fired, if he believe Arber is worth 6m.
Seriously, Arber is slowly starting to become our new ''Mike Komisarek''.
The old regime would have held press conferences bragging they turned a walk on into a 1st…...HuGo are aware it’s not wise to trade away that which every team wants & needs, especially in the playoffs. The Habs will be competing when AX is in his prime! IMHO, Xhekaj has the potential to be special. That’s not a stretch since he’s already a unicorn who’s tuff as nails and can skate very well for a kid 6’4” 240. Oh yeah he can bomb it 100mph! Lots of awkward learning for the kid but he seems to take the coaching well…… make no mistake he has lots of tools that can’t be taught.If we trade him we are one lol.
Former Hab Sheldon Souray is a good comparable to Xhekaj. Big and mean with a hard shot but he was in the NHL for 5 years before he was able to make a solid offensive contribution. It takes longer for defensemen to come into their own.The old regime would have held press conferences bragging they turned a walk on into a 1st…...HuGo are aware it’s not wise to trade away that which every team wants & needs, especially in the playoffs. The Habs will be competing when AX is in his prime! IMHO, Xhekaj has the potential to be special. That’s not a stretch since he’s already a unicorn who’s tuff as nails and can skate very well for a kid 6’4” 240. Oh yeah he can bomb it 100mph! Lots of awkward learning for the kid but he seems to take the coaching well…… make no mistake he has lots of tools that can’t be taught.
I had the pleasure of speaking one on one with Sheldon many years ago. He was one of the most down to earth athletes I ever met. Just a good guy.Former Hab Sheldon Souray is a good comparable to Xhekaj. Big and mean with a hard shot but he was in the NHL for 5 years before he was able to make a solid offensive contribution. It takes longer for defensemen to come into their own.
I agree that he would be so valuable on a competitive team, especially in the playoffs, someone will need to do the dirty work of protecting Suzuki, CC, Slaf and Demidov and he's the only one that we have that opposing players are worried about.
He will likely have Flojack as a tag team partner as early as next season.Former Hab Sheldon Souray is a good comparable to Xhekaj. Big and mean with a hard shot but he was in the NHL for 5 years before he was able to make a solid offensive contribution. It takes longer for defensemen to come into their own.
I agree that he would be so valuable on a competitive team, especially in the playoffs, someone will need to do the dirty work of protecting Suzuki, CC, Slaf and Demidov and he's the only one that we have that opposing players are worried about.
Komisarek was still better defensively than Xhekaj. He was playing a lot of minutes with Markov facing top line. I wouldnt want to see a pair /Matheson/Xhekaj right now. And this is not because I dislike Xhekaj. But, in Montreal, Komisarek had great timing to hit everybody into the D zone ans close the play rapidly. Xhekaj, this not always easy in his own zoneKomisarek????? Are you serious??
Xhekaj is WAYYYYY ahead in every department.
Better skater, better shot, better offensive IQ, meaner and tougher.
I’m not saying he’s locked in as a top 4 defender; 5th or 6th is more realistic.
Like someone posted earlier, veterans get away with most of his penalties. Looking back at our last playoff run, Weber, Chiarot and Edmundon were brutal with their late hits and cross checks, but as veterans, they were getting away with it.
Next time we make the playoffs, I look forward to seeing Xhekaj defend our zone.
Please !!!!!! Don’t mention Komisarek ever again when talking about Xhekaj.
My wife and I met him and his wife Barbara (better known as Kelly Kelly) years ago at a hockey fund raiser. Talk about a good looking couple. Both very down to earth. If I didn't know better, I wouldn't have known they were celebrities. I had met Sheldon earlier. He would tease me by saying "You played hockey, you're so tiny" lolI had the pleasure of speaking one on one with Sheldon many years ago. He was one of the most down to earth athletes I ever met. Just a good guy.
Komisarek a 7th overall pick benefitted from playing with Markov. Once he went to Toronto he ultimately ended up in the AHL.Komisarek was still better defensively than Xhekaj. He was playing a lot of minutes with Markov facing top line. I wouldnt want to see a pair /Matheson/Xhekaj right now. And rhis is not because I dislike Xhekaj. But, in Montreal, Komisarek had great timing to hit everybody into the D zone ans close the play rapidly. Xhekaj, this not always easy in his own zone
Good stuff, i bet 29 other teams would want this kid in their lineup.
Mete was still a liability even playing with Weber. In fact, Komisarek played differently after Lucic fight. Same happenned with Byron after Weegar.Komisarek a 7th overall pick benefitted from playing with Markov. Once he went to Toronto he ultimately ended up in the AHL.