Player Discussion Arber Xhekaj: The Sheriff

[The Real Timo]

No sir I know the rebuild is far from over and management is straddled with several bad contracts, I just want to see on ice leadership, decent play in the D zone, i want to see a team ready to play when the puck drops.

 

[Tyson]

 

[HabsDood]

If they trade Arber And keep on sucking i'm done With them till St-Louis gets canned and maybe Huges as well

 

[WeThreeKings]

If they trade Arber And keep on sucking i'm done With them till St-Louis gets canned and maybe Huges as well

They are not trading Arber unless he never develops into a capable bottom pairing defenseman.

 

[Harry Kakalovich]

Fans really like Arber Xhekaj. He's a popular player.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Fans really like Arber Xhekaj. He's a popular player.

They like him so much that they would let him be a minus 500 in every game and scoff at the idea he should sit.

I love the guy and he brings a very needed element to the team, but he has to be better than Struble if he wants to play.

 

[Tyson]

But what is more true.. the team last year that competed most nights, led the league in 1 goal games, and lost most nights due to a lack of talent and not a lack of execution/pace

or a less than 10 game sample to start the season where everybody looks off?

I'm inclined to believe that the larger sample size of the horses in the room is more indicative of who they are than a struggling young roster to start the year.

They are not trading Arber unless he never develops into a capable bottom pairing defenseman.

Hard to develop being a healthy scratch. Marty seems to prioritize developing some players more than others. MSL is doing everything he can to help Dach get going as he should but why not help Xhekaj the same way?

 

[WeThreeKings]

Hard to develop being a healthy scratch. Marty seems to prioritize developing some players more than others. MSL is doing everything he can to help Dach get going as he should but why not help Xhekaj the same way?

Who is the future 2C that is currently sitting and scratched that should play over Dach?

If Xhekaj plays and gets infinite rope, that means Struble also has to sit and not play. They are in a competition. If there is an alternative for your play and that alternative has outplayed you up to this point, and you had an opportunity when they were hurt, and didn't take it. Then you have to bide your time for your next chance.

 

[Tyson]

Who is the future 2C that is currently sitting and scratched that should play over Dach?

If Xhekaj plays and gets infinite rope, that means Struble also has to sit and not play. They are in a competition. If there is an alternative for your play and that alternative has outplayed you up to this point, and you had an opportunity when they were hurt, and didn't take it. Then you have to bide your time for your next chance.

Agreed but has Struble been any better? No he hasn't, maybe he is rusty but none of the young D have gone without struggles. If Xhekaj sits 3 straight there is an issue.

 

[417]

If they trade Arber And keep on sucking i'm done With them till St-Louis gets canned and maybe Huges as well

Imagine staking your whole Habs fandom on whether or not they trade Arber Xhekaj...when there's not even an indication they event want to trade him.

I'm a big AX fan, but he's by far and away, the most overrated Habs player by this fanbase.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Agreed but has Struble been any better? No he hasn't, maybe he is rusty but none of the young D have gone without struggles. If Xhekaj sits 3 straight there is an issue.

He was miles and leagues better in pre-season.

He then got hurt and that was Arber's chance and he fumbled the bag.

Xhekaj likely plays because of the injury to Barron. When he gets back in there, he has to make a case to stay in the lineup.

We can't just put him out there because he can punch people in the face. He has to find his game outside of that. Not every game is going to call for that and if you are a liability, that just adds to the issues we already have.

 

[417]

He was miles and leagues better in pre-season.

He then got hurt and that was Arber's chance and he fumbled the bag.

Xhekaj likely plays because of the injury to Barron. When he gets back in there, he has to make a case to stay in the lineup.

We can't just put him out there because he can punch people in the face. He has to find his game outside of that. Not every game is going to call for that and if you are a liability, that just adds to the issues we already have.

I said it during camp and was blasted for it...when he was getting kicked out of games and barely playing while leaving the team short handed with ill advised and ill executed payback fights, I said that he's playing like someone who thinks he doesn't have to compete for a spot every night.

And here we are.

 

[Leto]

Imagine staking your whole Habs fandom on whether or not they trade Arber Xhekaj...when there's not even an indication they event want to trade him.

I'm a big AX fan, but he's by far and away, the most overrated Habs player by this fanbase.

Hughes has been on the record saying they traded Romanov because they had a lot of depth on the left side (citing Guhle and a certain Arber Xhekaj). They declined offers for him when the league called when he was sent to Laval last year. People are making nonsensical scenarios about trading him when there is nothing to suggest that the management wants to.

Arber has all the tools to be more than a goon in this league. It's up to him to show he can do it on a consistent basis. Otherwise, a goon defenseman will be in and out of the lineup on a consistant basis.​

 

[Mrb1p]

So are we okay with MSL blasting AX Torts style? Man I'm getting tired of egos.

Barron, Struble, Matheson, Savard, Xhekaj, none of them have been good. They've all been godawful. And I'm not even including Mailloux, anyone with eyes knows he's probably not even ready for the AHL defensively.

What a ridiculous situation brought to us by a coach that doesn't have any experience.

I think the head coach position should be transformed into a coaching staff. Use that Molson money to hire the 3 or 4 best coaches possible and give them all the same level of importance, hire the best bench coach, the best defensive tactics coach, the best offensive coach, the best development coach. We gotta stop giving so much importance to one single clown.

 

[Tyson]

So are we okay with MSL blasting AX Torts style? Man I'm getting tired of egos.

Barron, Struble, Matheson, Savard, Xhekaj, none of them have been good. They've all been godawful. And I'm not even including Mailloux, anyone with eyes knows he's probably not even ready for the AHL defensively.

What a ridiculous situation brought to us by a coach that doesn't have any experience.

I think the head coach position should be transformed into a coaching staff. Use that Molson money to hire the 3 or 4 best coaches possible and give them all the same level of importance, hire the best bench coach, the best defensive tactics coach, the best offensive coach, the best development coach. We gotta stop giving so much importance to one single clown.

The part of his comment about Xhekaj not being a rookie anymore is true but he has barely played 100 NHL games. Not sure why he appears to not be a favorite of MSL.

One thing I saw a media pundit mention was that the team seems to be ok with losing and just look disinterested. Are they starting to tune MSL out?

 

[overlords]

The part of his comment about Xhekaj not being a rookie anymore is true but he has barely played 100 NHL games. Not sure why he appears to not be a favorite of MSL.

One thing I saw a media pundit mention was that the team seems to be ok with losing and just look disinterested. Are they starting to tune MSL out?

I think it was maybe optimistic to think that keeping a bunch of Berg's low effort trash around wouldn't eventually poison the well. That being said, it was almost impossible to move them.

 

[Boris Le Tigre]

Time for St Louis to GTFO Noob

 

[jrom]

.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Yep this is a coach that lost the room.

Arber would be the first one to tell his fans they are being soft.

 

[Hannibal]

MSL sucks.

 

[habdynasty]

Hire the best beat coach available and a translator lol. Get with the 2000s. F the French media.

 

[morhilane]

Arber would be the first one to tell his fans they are being soft.

Arber was the first to say he should be playing better (like he knows he can).

 

[Canadienna]

MSL calling Xhekaj out is interesting, but I don't think it's necessarily proof he thinks poorly of him.

To me Xhekaj has just as much or more potential than every other D outside of Hutson/Guhle.

Sometimes you're harder on the guys who you know have more to give, even if their play doesn't deserve it relative to others.

 

[Sorinth]

MSL calling Xhekaj out is interesting, but I don't think it's necessarily proof he thinks poorly of him.

To me Xhekaj has just as much or more potential than every other D outside of Hutson/Guhle.

Sometimes you're harder on the guys who you know have more to give, even if their play doesn't deserve it relative to others.

There's also the argument that different personalities respond best to different motivational techniques, it's possible MSL believes a public criticism "fuels" Xhekaj more so then a private one.

 

[morhilane]

MSL calling Xhekaj out is interesting

Technically, MSL didn't call Xhekaj out, he was answering a question asked about Xhekaj to a journalist. Maybe the fans should ask the media why they never ask questions about Dvorak or Matheson.