Player Discussion Arber Xhekaj: The Sheriff

[JianYang]

Leafs radio said Wifi looked like he was "barely an NHLer" when the Habs played the leafs recently. I didn't watch the whole game. Was he that bad or is it just the leaf media coping? They were very negative towards Slaf all year until recently (and kinda avoid talking about him), so I would assume the latter. Also, pretty ironic that they trash talk our D with their core looking as it does lol.

There is a certain label that automatically gets bestowed on a player that plays the style of xekhaj.

A big, lumbering dman who can fight is immediately looked at as an enforcer. The lazy comment would be to assume that is the only thing xekhaj is.

But those who actually watch him know that he brings far more to the table than just that, and it's the combination of all those things that makes him exciting to follow.

 

[Tyson]

There is a certain label that automatically gets bestowed on a player that plays the style of xekhaj.

A big, lumbering dman who can fight is immediately looked at as an enforcer. The lazy comment would be to assume that is the only thing xekhaj is.

But those who actually watch him know that he brings far more to the table than just that, and it's the combination of all those things that makes him exciting to follow.

Yeah he only had 7 shots on goal that night.

 

[Rapala]

https://media0.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExcmE5YWl5Y2trM3IxYXFxYzd3emRsZHZqYWN2b3FvMzdwZGZlbnBqciZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/dZpEp7xKEds337wKq7/giphy.gif

He's finally recovered from us losing Dubois.

 

[Habs]

RFA after this year, right? Don't f*** this up Kent

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Doubt his agent will advise him to take the team friendly 6-8 year extension with a looming cap increase to come.

Agreed.

But as I said, if we can tie this emerging player for under $4 million per annum, that would be excellent asset management.

 

[OldCraig71]

It won't be long before Arber gets an A on his jersey, he is the type of player that would take that very seriously, I guess it depends on how long Gallagher hangs around.

 

[habsterr]

Hoping for a team friendly long term extension. 5-8 years

 

[Tyson]

It won't be long before Arber gets an A on his jersey, he is the type of player that would take that very seriously, I guess it depends on how long Gallagher hangs around.

I have seen older guys lose their C and their A...could and should happen with Gallagher. Dustin Brown, Blake Wheeler, Bobby Clarke come to mind

 

[KevSkillz4]

Sign that beast long term please. He can easily become a top 4 D in the future.

 

[Tyson]

Bridge deal 3 mil x 3

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Sign that beast long term please. He can easily become a top 4 D in the future.

He already is. At least on this team.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

That would be beyond insulting

I should be that insulted. Please, Please. Somebody, pay me $2 million + a year. I need to be insulted.

 

[Tyson]

I should be that insulted. Please, Please. Somebody, pay me $2 million + a year. I need to be insulted.

I mean it comparatively. If you want to sign someone for 8 years it would be at a minimum 4.5 million per season

 

[ChesterNimitz]

I mean it comparatively. If you want to sign someone for 8 years it would be at a minimum 4.5 million per season

Just kidding.

These kids, who are 'insulted' by earning a mere $4 million USD a year, don't quite understand that they earn more in one year than most of us earn in our entire working careers. Much more. Talk about things being out of whack. We have hundreds of thousands of people across Canada who are lining up at food banks in order to feed their families. And we have others who are insulted by the million dollar offers they receive. I guess nothing has changed much over the millennium.

 

[The Real Timo]

I should be that insulted. Please, Please. Somebody, pay me $2 million + a year. I need to be insulted.

I'd love to be insulted with 1M. You are such a millennial entitled peoplekind.

 

[HabzSauce]

Abner is already playing in our top four defence pairings and is quickly becoming a team leader. He’s only going to get better and more impactful. If you can lock up that type of player for under $4 million per year, you are doing well. Very well.

I'd have to think about it more but my initial thought is 8 x 4.2-4.4M/yr

 

[HabzSauce]

Hoping for a team friendly long term extension. 5-8 years

I'd bet on him 8 years

 

[Habs]

It won't be long before Arber gets an A on his jersey, he is the type of player that would take that very seriously, I guess it depends on how long Gallagher hangs around.

Buddy I hope you are around long enough to see it

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Bridge deal 3 mil x 3

We don't really the bridge. We are not winning the cup in 3 years I believe.

The best solution would be between 5 and 8 years deal at low cost.

 

[Tyson]

We don't really the bridge. We are not winning the cup in 3 years I believe.

The best solution would be between 5 and 8 years deal at low cost.

Didn't Hughes do bridge deals with Newhook and Dach?

 

[yianik]

Just a note on all these lock him up long term for cheap deals. One, the Agent would have to be stupid. But 2, while I like team friendly deals, I don't like a player being ripped off almost as bad as I don't like the team being ripped off. You end up with a very unhappy player and that's not good for anybody.

Two year bridge so he can figure himself out sounds right. I hated the 2 year bridge for PK because we knew what we had and he should have been offered an 8 year extension. Here it's different. I'm thinking he is a 4 , but maybe something more.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Remember a month ago when Marty hated him and they were gonna trade him.

 

[yianik]

Remember a month ago when Marty hated him and they were gonna trade him.

When Serge Savard was GM I still had full faith in Habs management. When he and Demers were fired and we went with 0 experience at both GM and coaching levels I was rattled, but gave the benefit of the doubt.

Houle was the Habs dark age. Well intentioned, not competent and was a puppet of Cory ( jackass)

After Houle came Andre Savard. No issues.

Then Gainey and he got the benefit of the
doubt.

Some things he did were good, others not good. Tilted to bad overall.

Then twilight zone Gauthier. Not all bad, but bizzare.

By the time MB came, I thought guy needs to be given a chance and I was hopeful , but my expectation was stupid things would be done. MT , right off the bat.

So I try to Sbah, and so far so good here, but I fear the stupid moves , seems it's part of our tradition now.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

When Serge Savard was GM I still had full faith in Habs management. When he and Demers were fired and we went with 0 experience at both GM and coaching levels I was rattled, but gave the benefit of the doubt.

Houle was the Habs dark age. Well intentioned, not competent and was a puppet of Cory ( jackass)

After Houle came Andre Savard. No issues.

Then Gainey and he got the benefit of the doubt.

Some things he did were good, others not good. Tilted to bad overall.

By the time MB came, I thought guy needs to be given a chance and I was hopeful , but my expectation was stupid things would be done. MT , right off the bat.

So I try to Sbah, and so far so good here, but I fear the stupid moves , seems it's part of our tradition now.

Bergevin should have bever been given a chance , the guy is a nincompoop

 

[yianik]

Bergevin should have bever been given a chance , the guy is a nincompoop

I can see why he was given the chance. Quebecois with experience as an Assistant GM. His biggest issue I think, and not trying to be funny, is he must have a couple personality disorders and this affected his ability to be a good GM. Stuff like getting into seemingly personal dislikes of players like PK, Markov, Danault etc. Being loyal to twats like MT at the expense of players and team. And so on.

In all seriousness. They need to do psych testing on management , not just players.