Player Discussion Arber Xhekaj: The Sheriff

[HuGo Sham]

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!

we traded him for the hamburglar right?
he'd be good in laval to protect all the young guys

pizza-man needs to step up tomorrow!

can't have powerhorse and black-eye fighting all these sens stiffs

 

[Habsrule]

Am I the only one who doesn’t want Xhekaj to fight tomorrow against the Sens? I get fighting when it happens in a game on a play that leads to a fight. But I want his hockey play to have him make the team. I don’t want him to fight three games in a row during exhibition.

 

[Kennerback]

Am I the only one who doesn’t want Xhekaj to fight tomorrow against the Sens? I get fighting when it happens in a game on a play that leads to a fight. But I want his hockey play to have him make the team. I don’t want him to fight three games in a row during exhibition.

I agree. I really hope he doesn’t, but given the Sens‘ rhetoric it seems like they won’t give him a choice.

 

[morhilane]

Am I the only one who doesn’t want Xhekaj to fight tomorrow against the Sens? I get fighting when it happens in a game on a play that leads to a fight. But I want his hockey play to have him make the team. I don’t want him to fight three games in a row during exhibition.

Xhekaj initiated none of those fights. The Sens coaches send goons after him in 3 games (one was at the Rookie tournament) just because he hits hard. It's like they are trying to prove to someone that they aren't scared of him or something.

 

[Matthew McConaughay]

Not a lot of people saw this hilarious interview.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Am I the only one who doesn’t want Xhekaj to fight tomorrow against the Sens? I get fighting when it happens in a game on a play that leads to a fight. But I want his hockey play to have him make the team. I don’t want him to fight three games in a row during exhibition.

He needs to limit himself to a handful of fights per season as it is largely unnecessary, dangerous and brutal on the hands and dmen are too valuable to stay in the penalty box for long stretches. The coaching staff should be instructing him to ignore the oppositions 4th line meat heads and save the fighting for standing up for teammates and/or taking another good player with him.

Fighting in the pre season is generally stupid, leave it for the Pezetta's of the world.

As big and strong as Xhekaj is, his fighting technique is very unrefined and he eats alot of punches. He definitely has serious KO ability in those big mitts but it is just a matter of time before a big, experienced NHL fighter lands something that is really going to hurt him. I think his upside is surprisingly high and he should limit the risks that he is currently taking.

 

[calder candidate]

Xhekaj initiated none of those fights. The Sens coaches send goons after him in 3 games (one was at the Rookie tournament) just because he hits hard. It's like they are trying to prove to someone that they aren't scared of him or something.

To be fair Xhekaj had a few late hit and glove to the face at the rookie tourney… but agree that the need to let it go.

 

[Retired]

He needs to limit himself to a handful of fights per season as it is largely unnecessary, dangerous and brutal on the hands and dmen are too valuable to stay in the penalty box for long stretches. The coaching staff should be instructing him to ignore the oppositions 4th line meat heads and save the fighting for standing up for teammates and/or taking another good player with him.

Fighting in the pre season is generally stupid, leave it for the Pezetta's of the world.

As big and strong as Xhekaj is, his fighting technique is very unrefined and he eats alot of punches. He definitely has serious KO ability in those big mitts but it is just a matter of time before a big, experienced NHL fighter lands something that is really going to hurt him. I think his upside is surprisingly high and he should limit the risks that he is currently taking.

I agree, but we’ve all seen the habs ice 15 years of push-over rag dolls, goalies get run, guys get intimidated… A clear message the team is bigger now and stands up for itself is not a bad message to send ahead of the season.

 

[morhilane]

To be fair Xhekaj had a few late hit and glove to the face at the rookie tourney… but agree that the need to let it go.

He definitively needs to clean his acts too, but trying to punch him in the face every games isn't going to help there.

 

[Mrb1p]

I agree, but we’ve all seen the habs ice 15 years of push-over rag dolls, goalies get run, guys get intimidated… A clear message the team is bigger now and stands up for itself is not a bad message to send ahead of the season.

Is it though? Its probably softer than ever /xhekaj.

Anderson cant really fight anymore
Ed is injured and generally not super tough
Pezz is a grinder
Guhle i guess, but do we really want him fighting?

 

[Vachon23]

 

[Kriss E]

Is it though? Its probably softer than ever /xhekaj.

Anderson cant really fight anymore
Ed is injured and generally not super tough
Pezz is a grinder
Guhle i guess, but do we really want him fighting?

We don't really need a bunch of players to be dropping the gloves and smacking others around though.
It's more so about having guys who aren't push overs or won't back down, and can handle themselves if push comes to shove.
But ya, I don't think the Habs intimidate anybody.

 

[Mrb1p]

We don't really need a bunch of players to be dropping the gloves and smacking others around though.
It's more so about having guys who aren't push overs or won't back down, and can handle themselves if push comes to shove.
But ya, I don't think the Habs intimidate anybody.

To me, if youre going to ice a team with a guy that toes the line like Xhekaj, the team needs someone to take care of stuff. Right now, its Xhekaj and I dont want him to have this job. Not at all. Emelin and Subban had Prust, Moen, White, Parros and co.

Marchand has/had a bunch of guys.

 

[JianYang]

We don't really need a bunch of players to be dropping the gloves and smacking others around though.
It's more so about having guys who aren't push overs or won't back down, and can handle themselves if push comes to shove.
But ya, I don't think the Habs intimidate anybody.

I'm not really too concerned about the regular season. Teams generally can't afford to be clowning around in the regular season, and you never see teams call up goons just to face a certain team anymore.

But, this is the preseason with nothing on the line, and their coach's comments, and the types of players he is dressing is a bit concerning.

Probably nothing happens, but the ingredients are there for something regrettable to happen.

 

[1909]

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 was a uber bad skater

 

[Retired]

Is it though? Its probably softer than ever /xhekaj.

Anderson cant really fight anymore
Ed is injured and generally not super tough
Pezz is a grinder
Guhle i guess, but do we really want him fighting?

Maybe Pitlick has like a giant chip on his shoulder from all the childhood bullying and goes ape shit?

This is why I wanted Deslauriers. Guys like Guhle have to be able and play tough with someone watching their back. Xhekaj can play hockey, too bad he’s the only fighter. I hope he just Byfuglien’s all the Senator goon‘s asses, yawns and wrists one top shelf.

 

[HockeyJunkie87]

Guys, count me in as somebody that doesn't want to see Xhekaj fighting tonight either. He's proven he is tough already throughout the pre-season. Hopefully some of his mates step in tonight and give the kid a break.
On another note, I think he iS NHL ready!!!

 

[BenchBrawl]

Count me in as someone who'd love to see him smash some face again tonight, if he feels like doing so.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

I agree, but we’ve all seen the habs ice 15 years of push-over rag dolls, goalies get run, guys get intimidated… A clear message the team is bigger now and stands up for itself is not a bad message to send ahead of the season.

As long as he is limiting his fights to standing up for teammates who the opposition has taken clear liberties with. I don't want him fighting the opposing 4th line plug just because he is challenged to do so. He should be concentrating on preparing for a hockey game rather than sweating about who he will have to fight.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Count me in as someone who'd love to see him smash some face again tonight, if he feels like doing so.

I would rather see him limit the turnovers and make quicker decisions than roll the dice with a fight related injury in a meaningless pre season game. He has been mostly impressive but has made a bad mistake or two in every game so far.

 

[Matthew McConaughay]

I would rather see him limit the turnovers and make quicker decisions than roll the dice with a fight related injury in a meaningless pre season game. He has been mostly impressive but has made a bad mistake or two in every game so far.

Would like him to smash a goal tonight.

 

[HockeyJunkie87]

Well... Arber had a hell of a pre season guys... Got into a few fights, injured a few people, scored a couple goals, played solid hockey.. and boosted views on my YT channel lol.

But the real question is. Will he make the team?
One would have to assume, Guhle, Harris, and Barron are making it.. Despite Barron's mediocre performance..
And what's up with Otto Leskinen?

 

[Tyson]

Well... Arber had a hell of a pre season guys... Got into a few fights, injured a few people, scored a couple goals, played solid hockey.. and boosted views on my YT channel lol.

But the real question is. Will he make the team?
One would have to assume, Guhle, Harris, and Barron are making it.. Despite Barron's mediocre performance..
And what's up with Otto Leskinen?

Not many assume that Barron and Harris are making the team...neither were better than Xhekaj and both are clearly not ready

 

[HockeyJunkie87]

Not many assume that Barron and Harris are making the team...neither were better than Xhekaj and both are clearly not ready

I definitely agree that both were not better than Xhekaj. I felt the same way.. Harris showed alot of flash at times and had some solid shifts , however Barron just looked lost the majority of the time and wasn't much of a standout at all.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

Not many assume that Barron and Harris are making the team...neither were better than Xhekaj and both are clearly not ready

Harris looks more nhl ready than Xhekaj to me. He's been solid every game. Xhekaj seems to have 1 or 2 bad defensive mistakes every game, whereas I only remember Harris having 1 bad mistake all preseason.