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Player Discussion Arber Xhekaj: The Sheriff

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Habs4Life said:
Pronger talk? lol Pronger was a way better skate and gifted offensively it's not even close. Pronger was a legend despite his injuries. I can't believe some of these posters, that's why I don't post as often anymore.
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Yes it wasn't a good take.

The posters point though is that Xhekj has the potential to be a physical player with some offense. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what his ceiling is - and how good he'll be defensively. But I'm realistic.
 
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Habs4Life said:
Pronger talk? lol Pronger was a way better skate and gifted offensively it's not even close. Pronger was a legend despite his injuries. I can't believe some of these posters, that's why I don't post as often anymore.
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I think Adam Mcquaid would be a good comparable...obviously not Pronger!lol
 
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Matthew McConaughay said:
I think Arber will produce a lot more than that, i think 30 points per season is reasonable, and don't think McQuaid is tough like Arber, we still don't know what Arber's ceiling is yet, you don't know, he might become better than anyone thinks.
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I think his upside exceeds Adam McQuaid.
I agree with you that he might become better than anyone thinks.
 
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For the past few days, radio buffoon Georges Laraque is saying that Arber could use defensive fighting tips.

Says that Arber learned his fighting technique from Zach Rinaldo who also hails from Hamilton but who unlike Jackeye, is only 5’10. Laraque says that at 6’4, he’s the same height as Jackeye and can teach him how to better manage his fights.

Laraque claims that he’s coached several NHL players on fighting techniques. If Laraque really wants to do this, why doesn’t he contact the Habs directly? A radio pitch sounds hollow and self-serving.
 
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BaseballCoach said:
Robinson lacked that aspect at first too. Very awkward and subject to more gaffes than the average D. He was 24 when he came into his own as a star D.

Arber has the tools physically. Will he have both the smarts and work ethic to learn the defensive side better? Will he have the mindset to become a complete player and not just sit on a 6D role based significantly on his physical intimidation factor?

Xhekaj says the right things, but I don't like the trolling as it contradicts his statement that he is a hockey player who happens to be able to fight. Robinson never trolled. He took care of Dave Schultz one famous time but he kept his mouth shut and let his play do the talking.

I hope the team can help Arber mature that way, but he has to want to himself as well.
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Robinson was drafted as a forward, so he always had some unnaturalness to his defensive and offensive game from the blueline. Made him a very unique defenseman in history.

Markov was another guy who was drafted as a forward. That too made him somewhat stylistically unique.
 
Runner77 said:
For the past few days, radio buffoon Georges Laraque is saying that Arber could use defensive fighting tips.

Says that Arber learned his fighting technique from Zach Rinaldo who also hails from Hamilton but who unlike Jackeye, is only 5’10. Laraque says that at 6’4, he’s the same height as Jackeye and can teach him how to better manage his fights.

Laraque claims that he’s coached several NHL players on fighting techniques. If Laraque really wants to do this, why doesn’t he contact the Habs directly? A radio pitch sounds hollow and self-serving.
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Heard that too. I only wish that everything will be done by Arber himself, his entourage and the Habs management to reduce the risk of potentially career-ending/career-altering concussions.

The guy is fearless. Maybe too courageous for his own good.
 
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He's super hard to project because his progression was crazy, and that was before you even consider that he missed a full season due to the pandemic.

The Pronger comparison seems a bit crazy.

One comparison that I wish I could do, but can't really because I don't remember this seeing this guy play hockey professionally, despite hearing and reading quite a bit about him, is to Barry Beck, who, from what I gathered, wasn't elite an anything other than fighting, but good enough at everything to be a Top-4 D-Men (...and, at times, a #1 D-Men), along with having an actual personnality.
 
Runner77 said:
For the past few days, radio buffoon Georges Laraque is saying that Arber could use defensive fighting tips.

Says that Arber learned his fighting technique from Zach Rinaldo who also hails from Hamilton but who unlike Jackeye, is only 5’10. Laraque says that at 6’4, he’s the same height as Jackeye and can teach him how to better manage his fights.

Laraque claims that he’s coached several NHL players on fighting techniques. If Laraque really wants to do this, why doesn’t he contact the Habs directly? A radio pitch sounds hollow and self-serving.
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lol BGL. not a technical fighter. 6'4 260 and all he did was grab guys by the scruff and throw with his left. he was big and strong; that was his technique

Runner77 said:
Look at the size of Arber’s hands vs. Nilan. X is a freak of nature.

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Hellboy hands
 
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Yep said:
Heard that too. I only wish that everything will be done by Arber himself, his entourage and the Habs management to reduce the risk of potentially career-ending/career-altering concussions.

The guy is fearless. Maybe too courageous for his own good.
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BGL can only help. Not sure why people wouldn't want him to help Xman.

But Nilan is the ultimate defensive fighter. Was very undersized and took very little punishment in his career. Never got 1 concussion in his entire career. Granted fighters weren't as big then because it was pre-the explosion of weight lifting and supplements.
 
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BenchBrawl said:
Robinson was drafted as a forward, so he always had some unnaturalness to his defensive and offensive game from the blueline. Made him a very unique defenseman in history.

Markov was another guy who was drafted as a forward. That too made him somewhat stylistically unique.
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Who told you he was drafted as a foreward?
 
Matthew McConaughay said:
Look at his hands compared to Knuckles, HUGE.
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Ugh … I wrote that in the post you quoted. ;)

26Mats said:
BGL can only help. Not sure why people wouldn't want him to help Xman.

But Nilan is the ultimate defensive fighter. Was very undersized and took very little punishment in his career. Never got 1 concussion in his entire career. Granted fighters weren't as big then because it was pre-the explosion of weight lifting and supplements.
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I’ll grant you that Nilan was a great defensive fighter but I’d be very surprised if he didn’t have any concussions. The league, nor teams were very diligent about concussions in Nilan’s day, whether it be recognizing them or intervening when needed.
 
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Runner77 said:
Look at the size of Arber’s hands vs. Nilan. X is a freak of nature.

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Both men looking pretty sharp!!!

HuGo Sham said:
lol BGL. not a technical fighter. 6'4 260 and all he did was grab guys by the scruff and throw with his left. he was big and strong; that was his technique


Hellboy hands
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Popoye.......his hands are ridiculous.....Like Andre the Giant!!
 
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BenchBrawl said:
Robinson was drafted as a forward, so he always had some unnaturalness to his defensive and offensive game from the blueline. Made him a very unique defenseman in history.

Markov was another guy who was drafted as a forward. That too made him somewhat stylistically unique.
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Urban legend. While Larry played forward when he was younger, he was definitely a D in his final year of Junior before being drafted, and perhaps earlier.
 
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BaseballCoach said:
Urban legend. While Larry played forward when he was younger, he was definitely a D in his final year of Junior before being drafted, and perhaps earlier.
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CHwest said:
Who told you he was drafted as a foreward?
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Insane if true. Just something I've read several times in the History section by knowledgeable posters I respect, but I never investigated myself.

Guess they too got misinformed and relayed the wrong info.
 
WeThreeKings said:
BGL can't teach anyone how to fight.

His fax still hasn't reached Lucic.
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He should learn from Nilan, he should learn from BGL, he should learn from everyone he can.

Knowledge can't hurt anyone. He can Bruce Lee that shit and incorporate whatever works for him. He has the potential to be the toughest guy in the league from what I'm seeing.
 
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#Philosophy101

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Runner77 said:
For the past few days, radio buffoon Georges Laraque is saying that Arber could use defensive fighting tips.

Says that Arber learned his fighting technique from Zach Rinaldo who also hails from Hamilton but who unlike Jackeye, is only 5’10. Laraque says that at 6’4, he’s the same height as Jackeye and can teach him how to better manage his fights.

Laraque claims that he’s coached several NHL players on fighting techniques. If Laraque really wants to do this, why doesn’t he contact the Habs directly? A radio pitch sounds hollow and self-serving.
Click to expand...
TY for the memories. Zac was fun to watch as a London Knights season tic holder. Kid looked for that big hit every shift.......
 
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