Player Discussion Arber Xhekaj: The Sheriff

[Fainting Couch]

Let’s be really Matheson and whoever else I named aren’t fighter or tough guys. Ed my son is broken and oezzetta is actually weaker than I would have hoped for.

Way to shit talk your own son!

 

[Milhouse40]

That’s probably the best comparison I saw on this thread. Prime McQuaid was an important piece for Boston even if he was a 3rd pair

Many people see the core of a team has their most productive players, and they are mostly right but a core is made of different pieces with different skills.

A guy like Xhekaj has a very unique skill set that not many players can bright to the table.
He's huge, can skate, hit big, intimidating........and he plays hockey.
50 points in 69 games +44 in the OHL over the last 2 years.

A guy like that in the room, on the bench, on the ice has a positive effect on everyone else on the team.
He's a keeper and he's probably one of our core players going forward and that's even if he's a 3rd pairing D.

 

[Tyson]

Sabourin can't even throw with his damaged wrist. The Sens have no answer to Xhekaj. None.

I would like to see Xhekaj go after Kastelic. It pissed me off how Kastelic jumped Xhekaj without warning near the end of Xhekaj's shift.
Kastelic can't handle Pezzetta straight up and he needs to face Xhekaj the right way

I assume you really like Xhekaj. Do you see him as a solid 2nd pair D?

I see him as a future D that is good enough to play a regular shift and do more than just fight.

I do like him...an undrafted player who is defying the odds.

 

[Vachon23]

Many people see the core of a team has their most productive players, and they are mostly right but a core is made of different pieces with different skills.

A guy like Xhekaj has a very unique skill set that not many players can bright to the table.
He's huge, can skate, hit big, intimidating........and he plays hockey.
50 points in 69 games +44 in the OHL over the last 2 years.

A guy like that in the room, on the bench, on the ice has a positive effect on everyone else on the team.
He's a keeper and he's probably one of our core players going forward and that's even if he's a 3rd pairing D.

Exactly !

I don’t expect him to be a top 4 Dmen but a 3rd pair guy that can play 18 min and bring a really physical dimension that we rarely had in the past 20 yrs. Not sure I saw a player like him with the Habs since I fallow them

 

[xX SEYF Xx]

translation: "I'm not a fighter, I'm a hockey player that can fight"
Arber "also knows how to talk" Jackeye

 

[habsgirl5000]

I assume you really like Xhekaj. Do you see him as a solid 2nd pair D?

On a contending team?.......no

Bottom pairing at best

 

[Twisted Sinister]

On a contending team?.......no

Bottom pairing at best

Depends how he develops. His growth since he started has been ridiculous. He added an offensive dimension to his game that I don't believe anyone expected. And he's only 21. And defensemen take longer to develop. If he keeps learning, he could become pretty damn good.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

I would like to see Xhekaj play hockey and defend his teammates when needed. The real draw with Xhekaj is that he can legitimately play D and is improving at a rapid pace. The bonus is that he deters the opposition from taking liberties.

He doesn't need to go after anyone or prove himself by dropping the gloves. He only needs to defend his teammates when needed.

Exactly. Let's not turn Xhekaj into a player who's only good at fighting and nothing else, like we did with McCarron and Tinordi.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

Exactly. Let's not turn Xhekaj into a player who's only good at fighting and nothing else, like we did with McCarron and Tinordi.

The difference is that Xhekaj appears to have skills that can be developed, the other two were cavemen

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

He's gotta watch out for his hands . Are players still allowed to remove their helmets?
He would KTFO of everybody without helmets on

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

The difference is that Xhekaj appears to have skills that can be developed, the other two were cavemen

They had skill as well, but we didnt allow for it to be developed properly since we rushed them to the nhl. McCarron was having a very good ahl rookie season, got called up, and then everything went downhill.

 

[OldCraig71]

On a contending team?.......no

Bottom pairing at best

Players like this are valuable no matter where they appear in the lineup.

 

[WeThreeKings]

They had skill as well, but we didnt allow for it to be developed properly since we rushed them to the nhl. McCarron was having a very good ahl rookie season, got called up, and then everything went downhill.

McCarron had skill.

Tinordi had none other than skating.

 

[Lshap]

On a contending team?.......no

Bottom pairing at best

Where do you see him when the Habs are contending in three/four years?

 

[Hannibal]

Where do you see him when the Habs are contending in three/four years?

Big part of our team. No doubt.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Big part of our team. No doubt.

I feel like you might buy his jersey at some point.

The world is harmonious when Hannibal and I like the same players 'cause they bring that mixture of toughness and skill.

 

[Hannibal]

I feel like you might buy his jersey at some point.

The world is harmonious when Hannibal and I like the same players 'cause they bring that mixture of toughness and skill.

I agree! All those years, we debated but we like the same kind of players. The one who brings a mix of size, toughness and skill!

 

[habsgirl5000]

Where do you see him when the Habs are contending in three/four years?

Well, lets not get ahead of ourselves here,

Wait and see if we ARE indeed contending in 3-4 years,

The leafs thought they would be contending in 3-4 years after their rebuild began, and that was almost 7 years ago,

But to answer the question, I see him as a solid 5-6 D

He isn't a cup winning top 4 D

 

[morhilane]

Well, lets not get ahead of ourselves here,

Wait and see if we ARE indeed contending in 3-4 years,

The leafs thought they would be contending in 3-4 years after their rebuild began, and that was almost 7 years ago,

But to answer the question, I see him as a solid 5-6 D

He isn't a cup winning top 4 D

The Leafs management forgot you needed defensive players and a proper goalie. They spent everything on offense.

 

[Kennerback]

Just found out (sorry if everyone knows this already): He had the best +/- in the OHL for a D.

 

[jrom]

Just found out (sorry if everyone knows this already): He had the best +/- in the OHL for a D.

He was on the Memorial cup all-star team

 

[Andrei79]

I would keep him just to feed on all the Sens fans tears. I've rarely seen a player so quickly become public enemy no.1.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

I would keep him just to feed on all the Sens fans tears. I've rarely seen a player so quickly become public enemy no.1.

The question is: who’s more fearful, the Senators’ fans or players?

 

[HuGo Sham]

The question is: who’s more fearful, the Senators’ fans or players?

i forgot how f***ing unbearable sens fans are when they suddenly have a good team. incredibly insecure and obnoxious. little brother-poverty-franchise

 

[dinodebino]

It looks like DJ Smith added some fuel to the fire a bit with his comments after the game.
The next game could be very chippy with thugs like Sabourin dressed specifically to fight someone.
Players like Sabourin have no NHL skills and it is embarrassing for the league when talentless thugs roam the ice.

That’s why I would have kept Baddock last year. You bring him up for tomorrow amd no one will be fighting. Baddock in the A WAS the sheriff. Guys like Sabourin were fodder for him.

I don’t want JackEye to fight those losers because he’s still young and needs to play hockey. Not being a goon!