Player Discussion Arber Xhekaj: The Sheriff

[Nicko999]

You walked right into him? How do you miss a guy his size?

Also how tall are you to be face to face with X?

6 ft 2. He hasn't much taller than me. I give him 6 ft 3.

 

[Adriatic]

Another solid game by Xhekaj last night. He's playing some really good hockey lately.

 

[Cournoyer12]

Back to The Sherriff, there should be no reason to take this kid, out of the lineup the rest of this season.....................we have kept a clown like Gally in the lineup and his penalties have actually cost us wins for gods sake.
We have jokers like Anderson, and Armia who also get lazy penalties, and nothing happens to them.

The kid is talented, and a fan favorite....

I’m gonna quote the late great Jerry Doucette, Mama Let Him Play!!!!!

 

[BLONG7]

6 ft 2. He hasn't much taller than me. I give him 6 ft 3.

They say he goes about 235 lbs................so the big question is............do you think you can take him?
lol

 

[Doc McKenna]

Mailloux can't but I'm hoping eventually Florian can.
I was watching some of little Bro's highlights and there were a couple of long camera shots from across the rink.
I could swear I was looking at Arber.
In our Glory days we had the Big M and the Little M.
How fitting a new era of Glory Days would be with a Big X and a Little X.

Need one more so .... censored.

 

[Nicko999]

They say he goes about 235 lbs................so the big question is............do you think you can take him?
lol

For sure I could. And once I do, I wake up.

 

[BLONG7]

For sure I could. And once I do, I wake up.

Not many people would want to even think about it!!
He is a big dude.............and use to being mean!! lol

 

[Retired]

I like how he carries the puck over the blue when he’s F1; seems so big and intimidating. He can move too.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Haven’t been able to watch but man what a pass on that Suzuki goal

 

[Schooner Guy]

I was gonna post this. The guy is a Souray clone

Souray was just as tough as Xhekaj is, if not more. He was an absolute beast.

''Less offensive'' yes and no. For the older guys out there, you would remember Souray had one heck of a one-timer/slap shot, but not much offensive vision or skills. I think Xhekaj is more skilled, but will score less. Souray was a bit of a ''one-trick pony'' so to speak

Souray was the first in a long line of one-timer PP beasts in Montreal, like Schneider, Streit, Subban, Wisniewski, Weber

Jackeye's a far better skater than Souray. I don't think Souray could play in today's game. Weak defensively and couldn't pivot. Also the slapshot from the point is becoming a thing of the past in hockey.

Souray could really fight and fire a puck for a guy with a bum wrist. He was very pretty too. I believe he was married to an actress/model.

 

[Tyson]

Xhekaj is playing great, that's the reason I hope Savard is not traded. The amount of positive impact Savard has had with Arber and Struble is vital for the rebuild.

 

[Team_Spirit]

Andrei Markov is back babes

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Andrei Markov is back babes

That was pretty sweet

 

[HuGort]

Andrei Markov is back babes

I cringe at thought of trading Savard. Xhekaj is a beast paired with Savard.

 

[Gally11]

I cringe at thought of trading Savard. Xhekaj is a beast paired with Savard.

Guess that’s why the asking price is pretty high, we don’t need to trade him

 

[WeThreeKings]

Can't believe the AHL stint didn't ruin him and wow Marty surely plays him a lot lately, must be a punishment because he hates him so much.

 

[Saundies]

Xhekaj is a perfect modern example of going down to the minors to tweak an aspect of your game and using that when you come up. Offensively he's playing with much more confidence and bravado, and still imposing himself without taking dumb penalities.

One shift last night, he was all over Matty T battling, and I feel like old Arber would have taken it too far. But it stayed an old-fashioned net-front battle instead.

 

[Goalfield13]

X and Struble are going to make our crowded D situation very complicated. Both are guys I want come playoff time. Tough decisions incoming.

 

[loudi94]

Xhekaj is a perfect modern example of going down to the minors to tweak an aspect of your game and using that when you come up. Offensively he's playing with much more confidence and bravado, and still imposing himself without taking dumb penalities.

One shift last night, he was all over Matty T battling, and I feel like old Arber would have taken it too far. But it stayed an old-fashioned net-front battle instead.

It was the first time watching Tkachuk being a pest where I could see him sort of take stock and realize he wanted no part of what Arber was doing to him. Playoffs may have been a different story but not last night.

 

[26Mats]

Xhekaj is a perfect modern example of going down to the minors to tweak an aspect of your game and using that when you come up. Offensively he's playing with much more confidence and bravado, and still imposing himself without taking dumb penalities.

One shift last night, he was all over Matty T battling, and I feel like old Arber would have taken it too far. But it stayed an old-fashioned net-front battle instead.

Hopefully Barron comes to camp next year an improved player defensively after a full second half of a season and playoff run in Laval this year...

Because we're tanking I wouldn't have minded seeing Old Arber go after Takachuk, taking dumb penalties in the process, and costing us the game - but seeing him bloody Tkachuk in the process. But yes, Xhekaj is really taking his game to another level.

 

[Redux91]

X and Struble are going to make our crowded D situation very complicated. Both are guys I want come playoff time. Tough decisions incoming.

Struble is the very reason Xhekaj 'took so long' in the AHL too
It wasn't that Xhekaj needed more work than what he already needed to do
But the emergence of Struble merely complicated everything at LD

And it's STILL complicated today lol

Its easy to say The problem is Matheson
But remove him and roll a LD of Guhle Struble Xhekaj? No #1 LD but maybe three really good #2 LD's if they pan out a bit more?
I've seen way worse from us

And then there's Hutson..

So evidently, no matter what
Somethings gotta give, somewhere.

But it's great to see Xhekaj looking 'good' rather than looking a little lost as he was to start the year
When it'll all click, Xhekaj could become invaluable and irreplaceable

 

[Leon Lucius Black]

Can't believe the AHL stint didn't ruin him and wow Marty surely plays him a lot lately, must be a punishment because he hates him so much.

Rumors are that Marty even downgraded his Costco membership from Executive to Gold since he hates Arber and the Xhekaj family so much.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Rumors are that Marty even downgraded his Costco membership from Executive to Gold since he hates Arber and the Xhekaj family so much.

Buys exclusively produce when he goes and will only do self check out.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

X and Struble are going to make our crowded D situation very complicated. Both are guys I want come playoff time. Tough decisions incoming.

Not really that hard of a decision IMO.

 

[Andrei79]

X and Struble are going to make our crowded D situation very complicated. Both are guys I want come playoff time. Tough decisions incoming.

I think having both Guhle and Xhekaj makes Struble redundant. A bit like Romanov two years ago. He could be part of a package of quantity for quality, or another one to get rid of anchor contracts like Gallagher, though theres no rush there. That is, unless they're worried about Guhles health long term or that Hutsons game wont translate in the NHL. Personally, I would keep Guhle and Xhekaj, even knowing that Struble is probably going to have a very good career. Could carve his path as an excellent shutdown guy who has skill.