Player Discussion Arber Xhekaj: The Sheriff

[JJ68]

Yeah I think he can still throw em, but Olivier and Deslauriers are big boys, tough for Jackeye to throw around like some of the other fights he has one. I hope we get another tough guy in the forward group to help offset some of p***yes we have, since they won't play Pez. Olivier or Deslauriers would have been nice on this team still.


that shot is so underused , imagine hiding a 105mph clapper .. only in Montreal lol

Josh Anderson when angry is a pretty good fighter too. Florian Maybe one day.

 

[Tyson]

Xhekaj damn sure isn't Pezzetta or Kostopolous. He is a legitimate heavyweight. Of course he won't win all of his fights but he makes other teams take notice.
Habs are lucky to have his toughness when needed.

 

[rickthegoon]

He lost against Deslauriers, I'm not seeing it the same way you are. It looks like Arbs slipped and fell, he didn't get rocked. He hit Olivier with a few bombs, it was a close tilt, nothing to be ashamed of.

You do realize you are entertaining a troll right?

 

[Habs]

You do realize you are entertaining a troll right?

No, @River Meadow is a straight shooter, comes across the wrong way just like me
We good, I can see how some people thought Arbs got rocked, I think he slipped ?

Josh Anderson when angry is a pretty good fighter too. Florian Maybe one day.

Josh is a serious tough dude no doubt

 

[CharleyHorse]

Why does he lose the fight? He landed far more punches. Rocked by a punch but didn't go down. Should be a draw at worst.

I didn’t catch the game, but I watched the fight on YouTube, and I’m with you on this. I was checking out the comments on the Bruins board, and someone there claimed X got his clock cleaned. Honestly, I don’t see where they’re coming from based on what I watched in the video, other than they are briuns' fans.

 

[HabsAddict]

I didn’t catch the game, but I watched the fight on YouTube, and I’m with you on this. I was checking out the comments on the Bruins board, and someone there claimed X got his clock cleaned. Honestly, I don’t see where they’re coming from based on what I watched in the video, other than they are briuns' fans.

Booins board making comments on Hab players. That's worth about half a roll of single ply toilet paper.

There is ONE poster there that i know from a decade ago that can make a comment without sounding like a 10 year old fan.

 

[Walksss]

What a great period by X to build on a stretch of much improved games. I'm really happy with his development, he's playing a much more structured and disciplined game. I was definitely very pessimistic about his hockey IQ but he has found his game recently, credit where it's due here.

It seems he was challenged by the coaching staff and he has responded really well to that challenge. How could that be a bad thing?

 

[SnapVirus]

Best dman not named Hutson tonight!

 

[Naslund]

Best dman not named Hutson tonight!

Well, no. Matheson and Guhle were easily much better. Xhekaj played well though, aside from the f**kup at the end when it was 2-0 and 6vs5.

 

[Mrb1p]

As per Pagnotta they said no to a late first in the offseason. Hughes values Arbs. MSL?

 

[HuGo boss]

Really liking arbers game right now keeping it simple not taking dumb penalties decent-good defensively and good clean hit

 

[Paddyjack]

That hit last night changed the game. Oilers were pretty much doing whatever they wanted, then.... crickets.

Although to be honest, I would have given a 2 minutes for interference lol

 

[WeThreeKings]

He's not coming out of the line-up if he continues to play like this. This is what they've wanted from him.

 

[Deebs]

He's not coming out of the line-up if he continues to play like this. This is what they've wanted from him.

Less is more when it comes to Arber. He's a 3rd pairing D man that must play smart/safe hockey while being physical.

 

[rik schau]

That hit last night changed the game. Oilers were pretty much doing whatever they wanted, then.... crickets.

Although to be honest, I would have given a 2 minutes for interference lol

Good for jack-eye to treat that hyman the way it should be, with destruction.lol

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Good for jack-eye to treat that hyman the way it should be, with destruction.lol

Jesus

 

[1909]

I'm still not sure why we unloaded Deslauriers exactly...

Julien did not like him.

 

[The Last Red]

Less is more when it comes to Arber. He's a 3rd pairing D man that must play smart/safe hockey while being physical.

He and Struble are playing much better of late. That's a nice pairing to have as a 3rd one.

 

[1909]

What a great period by X to build on a stretch of much improved games. I'm really happy with his development, he's playing a much more structured and disciplined game. I was definitely very pessimistic about his hockey IQ but he has found his game recently, credit where it's due here.

It seems he was challenged by the coaching staff and he has responded really well to that challenge. How could that be a bad thing?

He badly needed a wake up call. The guy was lucky enough to jump directly from OHL to NHL because of tons of injuries on D. They let him learn mainly at NHL level. He was injured twice in two seasons, which did not help him at all.

 

[Rapala]

Xhekaj damn sure isn't Pezzetta or Kostopolous. He is a legitimate heavyweight. Of course he won't win all of his fights but he makes other teams take notice.
Habs are lucky to have his toughness when needed.

We are still disadvantaged him being a Dman. I hope we come to grips with this and find a solution at one point.
I'm still pissed at how bad Xhekaj was maligned in Camp (according to the Media Assholes)

I thought he had a fairly tight camp and it wasn't his fault we could not kill penalties after he reacted as he should have.
I don't think it's a coincidence the team is starting to pick up the more ice time the big guy gets.
I loved his reaction the other night when he got his apple pointing at Suzuki.
You gotta give them what they want Marty and Arber Xhekaj is exactly that.

 

[Tyson]

We are still disadvantaged him being a Dman. I hope we come to grips with this and find a solution at one point.
I'm still pissed at how bad Xhekaj was maligned in Camp (according to the Media Assholes)

I thought he had a fairly tight camp and it wasn't his fault we could not kill penalties after he reacted as he should have.
I don't think it's a coincidence the team is starting to pick up the more ice time the big guy gets.
I loved his reaction the other night when he got his apple pointing at Suzuki.
You gotta give them what they want Marty and Arber Xhekaj is exactly that.

Well said on all fronts

 

[Whitesnake]

You do not touch this guy. He's an untouchable for me because he's never going to make to much. He's never going to cost you too much on the ice. But he,s always gonig to be there if needed. People should look at championship teams and see that the No6 d-man might very well Arber. And especially even more when he improves 'cause he's not done.

Keep the guy. Play him. Shelter him if you have to. But keep him in the lineup.

 

[Mrb1p]

Good for jack-eye to treat that hyman the way it should be, with destruction.lol

Yikes. Outdated humor. Remember your daughter, mother, niece and grand-daughter may or may not have said "Hyman".

 

[WeThreeKings]

You do not touch this guy. He's an untouchable for me because he's never going to make to much. He's never going to cost you too much on the ice. But he,s always gonig to be there if needed. People should look at championship teams and see that the No6 d-man might very well Arber. And especially even more when he improves 'cause he's not done.

Keep the guy. Play him. Shelter him if you have to. But keep him in the lineup.

That's always been their plan; and the more that he proves himself capable to be trusted in the NHL, the more that becomes secured.

 

[Artaud]

AX is turning into a rock solid defender. I don't know if it's because Savard is in his ear, but he's toned down the tough guy stuff and focused on locking down the opposition.

He's always going to have the size, the sandpaper and the rocket shot. But those things need to be icing on top of a great defensive game, which is the case right now. Great asset for the Habs.