Player Discussion Arber Xhekaj: The Sheriff

[sandviper]

I don't condone hitting people blindside and in the head. If there was some respect for the players in the league that wouldn't happen.

That being said. If Greig wants to f*** around and deliver dirty hits and then cower when he should respond. Then i believe that eye for an eye is the right move.

Xhekaj did what we haven't had the gumption to do for a long time. Hurting the rat doesn't do anything. Show him that if you want to go over the line with my guys? You can be responsible for Stutzle eating out of a straw and hope you can live with that.

Xhekaj sent the message twice and I like how Struble went about it in a different way.

Can't wait until Florian gets in the NHL too. We need some tough psychos to make sure that anyone coming to town to try to be dirty? Can book their time in the infirmary now.

I think we’re aligned on this topic. I’m no fan of staged fights, general goonery and malicious hits. I don’t condone nor really like what Xhekaj did last night but my general feeling is what did you (not you you but really anyone outraged or stunned) expect? You essentially decapitate one of our stars, with no real action from the officiating after to settle things, well… it’s going to come back.

I am not saying it’s right but this is how hockey always is.

 

[Garry Valk]

Get that Slapshot refined and we have Dave Manson 2.0. Love it.

 

[417]

Preseason counts for 0 points. Sending a message if you are dirty to us, you're gonna be sending your best players to IR is far more important than winning a preseason game.

They sent a message the previous game, that didn't stop Greig from doing what he did.

It's cool to send messages, but if they're not received, it's not very effective.

It's great that AX is capable/willing to step up for his teammates, but he also has to realize that he's a relied upon Dman and his value goes beyond being a score settler, so he has to be more strategic about when/how he goes about it.

 

[Gaud]

To me, there is a line between physicality/sportsmanship and violence. Xhekaj hasnt shown me much other than being a goon and now, he's been thrown out two games in a row.

One game he attacked someone from behind, and the second was him taking out Stutzle. It felt to me like he was retaliating for Dach getting hit earlier by hurting the other team the same way.

I think Xhekaj should be looking at Struble right now - the guy simply gave solid checks one after the other to those players.

 

[Shutdown]

To me, there is a line between physicality/sportsmanship and violence. Xhekaj hasnt shown me much other than being a goon and now, he's been thrown out two games in a row.

One game he attacked someone from behind, and the second was him taking out Stutzle. It felt to me like he was retaliating for Dach getting hit earlier by hurting the other team the same way.

I think Xhekaj should be looking at Struble right now - the guy simply gave solid checks one after the other to those players.

elite observational skills

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

If there comes a point where we're too stacked on defense for Arber to fit in and he stagnates in his progression as a D, I'm hoping we'll Byfuglien him to the forward group, cause we absolutely need his presence.

 

[First Line]

I think Xhekaj should be looking at Struble right now - the guy simply gave solid checks one after the other to those players.

Oh wow , Struble had 2 hits in preseason and now he’s some sort of example? and yet some people were saying that Xhekaj should have gone after Domi when he was manhandling Struble.
You can’t have a team of players who can’t defend themselves and then blame the guy who defends them

 

[Hannibal]

I want a third pair of Xhekaj-Struble for the first game.

Im pissed that St-Louis hasnt try it during the preseason. That would be 10x times better than with Vanilla Barron there.

 

[McGuires Corndog]

MSL called it a hockey play in the scrum after the game. The media are in schambles going by what they are writting this morning, looks like a 2nd year of them trying to get Xhekaj run out of town.

The media and Gen. pop of Quebec in general have always been “soft” on the contact aspect of hockey / professional sports in comparison to other markets. There is a reason Don Cherry would rip them back in the 80s/90s.

I stand somewhere in the middle. Some of the dirty stuff needs to go away, but if the refs and league aren’t going to handle it than you need a guy like Xhekaj to take out the trash. I’ve never seen so many knees and headshots come out in preseason like it has this year. Wherever that’s coming from, the NHL needs to step the f*** up to the plate.

 

[Dagistitsyn]

He did get the shoulder. It was late but he didn't get the head

https://x.com/i/web/status/1841316416303067190

The fact that some fans can look at this and still think it was a dirty play by Arber.. soft as baby shit.
2 minute interference for late flyby, end of story. It was all Stutzles stick and acting skills.

 

[McGuires Corndog]

The fact that some fans can look at this and still think it was a dirty play by Arber.. soft as baby shit.
2 minute interference for late flyby, end of story. It was all Stutzles stick and acting skills.

Stutzle is one of the biggest divers ever seen.

Dude definitely should’ve been a soccer player.

 

[Ozmodiar]

Controlled..................Aggression.................he needs to find that line. He just does. I love the guy, and think we could use another guy just like him.
But he has to find the line...

Yeah, I love the player, but he has to dial it down a bit.

Too important to be unavailable.

 

[WeThreeKings]

They sent a message the previous game, that didn't stop Greig from doing what he did.

It's cool to send messages, but if they're not received, it's not very effective.

It's great that AX is capable/willing to step up for his teammates, but he also has to realize that he's a relied upon Dman and his value goes beyond being a score settler, so he has to be more strategic about when/how he goes about it.

Different teams, different circumstances, different players and a different response.

What else was Xhekaj or anyone else supposed to do? Because they went after him and he refused to own up to it. He took a big hit from Struble and still refused to own up to it. He continued to act like a POS on the ice. So here you go, you hit our guy late, blindside and up high, we will do the same to your star.

Difference here is Xhekaj has the code to fight Brady and answer for what he did.

And I think he was pretty strategic about it, it's a pre-season game. It cost the Habs 0 points in the standings and I don't know about you, but I found him and the Sens physical game relatively quiet after the Stutzle hit; only thing came later when Dach got face to face with Greig and decided to feed his ass some fists.

I loved how everyone responded last night. Pre-season game and winning it is pointless. Primeau should be more worried about being unable to make a routine save.

 

[Saundies]

They sent a message the previous game, that didn't stop Greig from doing what he did.

It's cool to send messages, but if they're not received, it's not very effective.

It's great that AX is capable/willing to step up for his teammates, but he also has to realize that he's a relied upon Dman and his value goes beyond being a score settler, so he has to be more strategic about when/how he goes about it.

It's preseason. This is literally the perfect time to go about it.

If Xhekaj takes a 7 minute penalty in the regular season or costs us the game like he did last night when it actually matters, you'd be hard-pressed to find someone in here that's a fan of that, no matter what the motivation behind it was.

People hate 'the code' in hockey, but the last two games you see why it's there. It settles scores and calms things down. If Pare answers the bell in the Leafs game after his hit (or when Xhekaj steps to him), it's most likely over and done with afterward. If Greig does it last night right away (he refused Pezetta, refused Struble) that's most likely over too.

But neither did. They threw blatant, dirty hits at our best players and when stepped to did absolutely nothing. That's why this stuff happens. That's why Pare gets jumped, and why Stutzle gets run. These dirty rat players have no problem doing their acts but don't face the music that normally comes with it.

You don't have to like it but that's hockey. Players police the game. That's the way it's always been. It's trending toward not being that way, but it's not there yet. And when the refs/league/rats don't do anything about it, guys take matters into their own hands.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Sidenote: this is what happens when you don’t answer the bell after a cheap hit.

Didn’t see the game. Can’t comment on X’s hit but I’m glad the Canadiens did something about it. It’s a preseason game anyway so send the message now.

That’s a general comment though. I can’t comment on the specifics of the hit or if X went overboard - just that you can’t sit back and let that stuff go.

Greig probably heard it from his teammates after that and he should.

 

[417]

Different teams, different circumstances, different players and a different response.

What else was Xhekaj or anyone else supposed to do? Because they went after him and he refused to own up to it. He took a big hit from Struble and still refused to own up to it. He continued to act like a POS on the ice. So here you go, you hit our guy late, blindside and up high, we will do the same to your star.

Difference here is Xhekaj has the code to fight Brady and answer for what he did.

And I think he was pretty strategic about it, it's a pre-season game. It cost the Habs 0 points in the standings and I don't know about you, but I found him and the Sens physical game relatively quiet after the Stutzle hit; only thing came later when Dach got face to face with Greig and decided to feed his ass some fists.

I loved how everyone responded last night. Pre-season game and winning it is pointless. Primeau should be more worried about being unable to make a routine save.

Keep hitting him.

But I don't necessarily disagree with anything you wrote, just would have preferred if he didn't get himself kicked out of the game and now probably facing further discipline from the league for it.

 

[417]

It's preseason. This is literally the perfect time to go about it.

If Xhekaj takes a 7 minute penalty in the regular season or costs us the game like he did last night when it actually matters, you'd be hard-pressed to find someone in here that's a fan of that, no matter what the motivation behind it was.

He's done things like this in the regular season before, he's had discipline issues before. It was part of the reason why he was sent down to Laval last year.

So this isn't just isolating a singular event and blowing it up out of proportion.

He's got to be smarter on the ice, I don't know how anyone can say otherwise.

People hate 'the code' in hockey, but the last two games you see why it's there. It settles scores and calms things down. If Pare answers the bell in the Leafs game after his hit (or when Xhekaj steps to him), it's most likely over and done with afterward. If Greig does it last night right away (he refused Pezetta, refused Struble) that's most likely over too.

But neither did. They threw blatant, dirty hits at our best players and when stepped to did absolutely nothing. That's why this stuff happens. That's why Pare gets jumped, and why Stutzle gets run. These dirty rat players have no problem doing their acts but don't face the music that normally comes with it.

You don't have to like it but that's hockey. Players police the game. That's the way it's always been. It's trending toward not being that way, but it's not there yet. And when the refs/league/rats don't do anything about it, guys take matters into their own hands.

I think it's foolish to think that this settles anything. It didn't last night and it didn't the night before. But it gives the fans their pound of flesh.

Cool...I don't really care about any of that stuff to be honest. Code or no code. It doesn't move me either way.

I'm more interested in seeing Xhekaj on the ice.

 

[salbutera]

Different teams, different circumstances, different players and a different response.

What else was Xhekaj or anyone else supposed to do? Because they went after him and he refused to own up to it. He took a big hit from Struble and still refused to own up to it. He continued to act like a POS on the ice. So here you go, you hit our guy late, blindside and up high, we will do the same to your star.

Difference here is Xhekaj has the code to fight Brady and answer for what he did.

And I think he was pretty strategic about it, it's a pre-season game. It cost the Habs 0 points in the standings and I don't know about you, but I found him and the Sens physical game relatively quiet after the Stutzle hit; only thing came later when Dach got face to face with Greig and decided to feed his ass some fists.

I loved how everyone responded last night. Pre-season game and winning it is pointless. Primeau should be more worried about being unable to make a routine save.

Take the number and wait for the opportunity- Weber rarely ever fought, but absolutely destroyed opposing players ribs with forearm slams during puck battles along the boards … refs always saw it & let it go. Opposing players knew that would be the price to pay for ignorant acts on the ice vs Habs players, and adjusted their behavior accordingly

Recall Dubas whining ad nauseam about it during 2021 playoffs…

The issue w Xhekaj seems to be he’s nuance hockey learning disabled and keeps repeating the same errors dispite being mentored / tutored to not do so - will be interesting to see how Hughes & MSL respond ..

 

[ReHabs]

Why do a "flyby" when you can level a guy and actually hit him? I know -- because you want to injure him, avoid getting hurt yourself, and you don't care if the guy's career ends (or worse).

It's easy to be against dirty hits when it's not our players doing it but I'm principled against flybys and chicken-wings and slewfoots of all kinds. They're not hockey plays. Big body checks are more fun to boot.

 

[First Line]

Take the number and wait for the opportunity- Weber rarely ever fought, but absolutely destroyed opposing players ribs with forearm slams during puck battles along the boards … refs always saw it & let it go. Opposing players knew that would be the price to pay for ignorant acts on the ice vs Habs players, and adjusted their behavior accordingly

Recall Dubas whining ad nauseam about it during 2021 playoffs…

The issue w Xhekaj seems to be he’s nuance hockey learning disabled and keeps repeating the same errors dispite being mentored / tutored to not do so - will be interesting to see how Hughes & MSL respond ..

So your solution is to wait for 10 years until he becomes a respected captain and that ref are more lenient because he’s a veteran?

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

For those crying about it, just remember Pezzetta got more punishment for trying to engage the sens in something than Greig got for the hit itself.

That's not right.

 

[red devil]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1841462163610718585

 

[PhysicX]

In my opinion, what Xhekaj did yesterday, he stood up for all of his teammates. It's okay to act like you've got a few screws loose in the head, especially after what transpired so far this preseason. However, when the season begins, he's gotta be smarter and if necessary, make the "intent" to hurt or injure less obvious.
I'm against injuries and goonish hits, but if we're on the receiving end of one, we have to retaliate, especially when the code doesn't get respected. Hopefully this sent a different message to opposing teams we've got a player willing to cross the line.

 

[Gaud]

Oh wow , Struble had 2 hits in preseason and now he’s some sort of example? and yet some people were saying that Xhekaj should have gone after Domi when he was manhandling Struble.
You can’t have a team of players who can’t defend themselves and then blame the guy who defends them

I am not "some people" talking about another subject.

Struble had 6 hits in yesterday's game alone, who only rose in intensity and number after all that ugliness with Dach. He picked up the intensity and hurt them in a way that doesnt give him a penalty, take him out of the game or puts a strain on the team. Struble does physicality, Xhekaj just does violence.

See him hitting Creig for yourself.

 

[Tyson]

I prefer we try to retaliate when other teams try to hurt us vs turning the other cheek when other teams try to hurt us.

This, the message around the league needs to be clear

In my opinion, what Xhekaj did yesterday, he stood up for all of his teammates. It's okay to act like you've got a few screws loose in the head, especially after what transpired so far this preseason. However, when the season begins, he's gotta be smarter and if necessary, make the "intent" to hurt or injure less obvious.
I'm against injuries and goonish hits, but if we're on the receiving end of one, we have to retaliate, especially when the code doesn't get respected. Hopefully this sent a different message to opposing teams we've got a player willing to cross the line.

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