Player Discussion Arber Xhekaj: The Sheriff

[BaseballCoach]

If you look at the two, disregarding opportunity, who is going to struggle more being in the NHL? Right now, it's Xhekaj. So he's the first guy you send down to preserve his confidence and give him top 4 minutes in the AHL to develop further.

I agree that is the right decision tree. I'm not ready to say Harris will be better than Jackeye every game based on just one game. What if Jordan gets outmuscled a lot?

 

[BenchBrawl]

Xhekaj will shine more in physical games, which yesterday wasn't based on the 25 minutes I've watched.

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

People tend to forget he's the ''rawest'' of the bunch and has been on a crazy development curve in the past 2 years, he's still catching up to how good he can be. I thought he did quite well last night, considering. He'll only get better from there.

 

[Team_Spirit]

I loved Xhekaj first game.

And as MSL said in his presser, the only way to learn, it’s in the trenches.

Summoning photoshop wizards

 

[WeThreeKings]

Arber's pulse is 70 24/7, my guy! Clearly, you have no idea what you're talking about!

Wideman literally talked to him on the bench to settle him down.

I agree that is the right decision tree. I'm not ready to say Harris will be better than Jackeye every game based on just one game. What if Jordan gets outmuscled a lot?

I haven't found it to be a big problem every NHL game Harris has played so far. Of course the evaluation is one game so far but their TOI by the coaching staff is reflective of the same evaluation by them imo

 

[Hannibal]

Wideman literally talked to him on the bench to settle him down.



I haven't found it to be a big problem every NHL game Harris has played so far. Of course the evaluation is one game so far but their TOI by the coaching staff is reflective of the same evaluation by them imo

What Wideman did the Xhekaj is what Savard does to Guhle. It’s just normal. But Xhekaj just ooze confidence and that’s a very good thing.

I think Harris looked good versus a small and soft opposition and i bet Xhekaj will look even more good against a tough, checking game. I think we’ll see their icetime change a lot with the game flow and/or opponent.

 

[MonkeyBusiness]

Wideman literally talked to him on the bench to settle him down.



I haven't found it to be a big problem every NHL game Harris has played so far. Of course the evaluation is one game so far but their TOI by the coaching staff is reflective of the same evaluation by them imo

I think the Wideman talk was more Wideman taking the initiative to console a young guy and reassure him. Xhekaj didn't look to be panicking, but I'm sure he was comforted by Wideman. Good move by the former.

Harris looked great yesterday, I think it shows that he feeds off of playing with better players as his game is so complementary and smart. But as Hannibal pointed out I think Harris might struggle against tougher, physical opponents, whereas Arber will thrive. Xhekaj was caught off position a few times yesterday and it led to two breakaways, so he'll have to improve on his positioning. But he didn't look like a fish out of water.

 

[Canadienna]

He looked good, made a couple mistakes, a couple penalties, but then again we were told he takes after Chiarot.

 

[ottawa]

Wideman literally talked to him on the bench to settle him down.

They showed him talking to Xhekaj right after the penalty shot, it looked to me like he Wideman told him to just forget about it since it's in the past now and focus on the rest of the game.

I don't think he was telling him to settle down

 

[Walrus26]

AX isn't the first pro D to do a "professional foul" on a forward on a breakaway and then rely on his goalie to seal the deal on the penalty shot.

As others have said, the new mindset of treating the NHL as a development league for talent during a rebuild is so refreshing to see. Ylonen for Dadonov or Hoffman next!

 

[Captain97]

I think the Wideman talk was more Wideman taking the initiative to console a young guy and reassure him. Xhekaj didn't look to be panicking, but I'm sure he was comforted by Wideman. Good move by the former.

Harris looked great yesterday, I think it shows that he feeds off of playing with better players as his game is so complementary and smart. But as Hannibal pointed out I think Harris might struggle against tougher, physical opponents, whereas Arber will thrive. Xhekaj was caught off position a few times yesterday and it led to two breakaways, so he'll have to improve on his positioning. But he didn't look like a fish out of water.

Honestly that's why they signed him to a 2 year deal, not because he's a great player but because he's a great teammate and veteran.

It's like the quote about Allen's new contract, he is helping plant the seed of a tree he will not be able to sit under.

 

[Hins77]

AX isn't the first pro D to do a "professional foul" on a forward on a breakaway and then rely on his goalie to seal the deal on the penalty shot.

As others have said, the new mindset of treating the NHL as a development league for talent during a rebuild is so refreshing to see. Ylonen for Dadonov or Hoffman next!

Ylonen showed nothing interesting on the last camp and the last playoffs in the AHL. I mean, I understand the fact that we need to developp players. But, those guys like ylonen needs to shows something interessting at very first.

 

[JoelWarlord]

It's not a slight against Xhekaj for someone to say that as a 21-year-old in his first NHL (and professional!) game he was a little bit behind a blue chip 1st round pick with excellent skating, a 22-year-old with 4 years of college experience, and a 25-year-old with 3 years of college and 130 AHL games. It's too early to say for sure who will be sent down but it isn't in any way a slight against the player or his upside to say that based on game 1 he might be the odd man out once Edmundson or Matheson are back.

He's a good player, and has a ton of really intriguing tools and some surprising offensive upside, but he was a little shaky last night. Maybe that's just nerves and he'll settle in and clearly beat Harris for a roster spot (I don't think he's directly competing with Kovacevic and he won't beat Guhle), but he also certainly seemed the most raw of the 4 rookies which makes total sense given he's only ever played junior so far.

He is definitely "ready" for the NHL in the grand scheme of things and wouldn't look out of place as an NHLer, if Guhle and Harris didn't exist I would have no problem keeping him up, but they're not going to run 4 rookies all year and there's nothing wrong with having him adjust to the pro game in the AHL. He could also come back next game and show improvement and make the decision harder too, but someone has to be the odd man out and it just seems most logical that he would go down as the guy who looks the most raw right now.

 

[HabsAddict]

People getting behind him was an issue otherwise rock solid.

He needs to make sure that he adheres to Defense 101 Rule 1...you are always in front of the opposing forward. Unless of course you have maimed that forward...

Basically he was cheating. An easy fix.

 

[417]

Time to get a veteran D. There is no way they can go 8 weeks with this D core. No telling when Eddy is coming back. X isn’t nhl ready and Wideman should be a 6 or 7.

They went 82 games with an even worse D corps last year.

I mean, what's gonna happen, they miss the playoffs?

 

[Habby4Life]

They went 82 games with an even worse D corps last year.

I mean, what's gonna happen, they miss the playoffs?

X is clearly not ready for the NHL. He belongs in Laval or Hamilton. I’m all for missing the playoffs but this will get real ugly the longer Eddy and Math are out.

It isn’t good for development for young guys to get their asses handed to them every night. That’s where this is heading the longer they go with that lineup.

They went 82 games with an even worse D corps last year.

I mean, what's gonna happen, they miss the playoffs?

Miss the playoffs is fine but it’s clear X isn’t ready nor is it good for them to get hammered every night. As the season progresses that is where this is heading, unless Eddy gets back soon.

 

[417]

X is clearly not ready for the NHL. He belongs in Laval or Hamilton. I’m all for missing the playoffs but this will get real ugly the longer Eddy and Math are out.

It can't get any uglier than last year, and the team was loaded with veterans back there.

It isn’t good for development for young guys to get their asses handed to them every night. That’s where this is heading the longer they go with that lineup.

Debatable...it's often a needed experience for young players to come out better from.

You don't think Thomas Chabot got his ass handed to him a lot of nights the last 4-5 years? Look at him today.

Young players aren't as fragile as we make them out to be.

Miss the playoffs is fine but it’s clear X isn’t ready nor is it good for them to get hammered every night. As the season progresses that is where this is heading, unless Eddy gets back soon.

I don't disagree that AX could use some time in Laval...but right now that's just not a possibility due to injuries.

I think the experience Guhle, Harris and Xhekaj will get in the next few weeks is huge.

We don't have to stress about wins and losses.

 

[ahmedou]

 

[ahmedou]

 

[montreal]

hope he ends up a better HC then Lefebvre...

 

[Matthew McConaughay]

If you check the 3 rookie defensemen we have, in the +-, Guhle is at -3, Xhekaj is at 0 and Harris is at +2.

 

[The Great Weal]

If you check the 3 rookie defensemen we have, in the +-, Guhle is at -3, Xhekaj is at 0 and Harris is at +2.

Guhle eats the most minutes and faces the hardest competition, the plus minus stat is pretty irrelevant here

 

[Matthew McConaughay]

Guhle eats the most minutes and faces the hardest competition, the plus minus stat is pretty irrelevant here

Yes, i know all that, but even if i love Arber, the one i'm most impressed with, is Harris.

 

[sheed36]

Hey Arber.. Can we make a video to show people how big your hands are?

 

[SupRocket]

In preseason and in the first two games he struggled at times letting someone get behind his back. From what I recalled tonight, it didn't happen. Better positioning at the blue line.