Player Discussion Arber Xhekaj: The Sheriff

[Jaynki]

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.

I agree and i also hate to think like this but there has to be dissuasion from illegaly hitting players. Like Pare did, like Greig did and like Xhekaj did.

The best dissuasive would be overlylong suspension. For example, Greig(or Xhekaj) should have been suspended 15 games for their hit, even if there is no consequence.

So unless the league has this kind of dissuasion in place, then mutual destruction is the biggest dissuasive.

Greig should know that he put his star player, not him, in extreme danger when he do a reckless hit like that.

 

[pepperMonkey]

S

Sens fan get triggered every time they shop at Costco now

BOOM

Um sorry, I must have missed it somewhere but why all the references to Costco?

 

[badfish]

Well, my preference is for a dirty hit to be settled either by (a) players on the ice immediately fighting the perpetrator or (b) for a hard clean hit later on in the game, but after two dirty hits back to back it was clear the usual approaches were not going to send enough of a message. I'm glad that Xhekaj did this in a meaningless game, and equally glad that I think the message got out there without seriously injuring Stutzle. I'm also glad that Xhekaj will be available for the first game of the season (unless he does something Saturday night), because I want a deterrent against any Leafs antics.

Side note, I think Dach waiting for Greig to drop the gloves before walloping him was a great move. Greig would have sure looked bad if he had not dropped the gloves with Dach at that point. And damn, Dach is a good fighter.

 

[Kennerback]

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

If anyone should it would be Stutzle for carelessly smashing himself across the head.

 

[Saundies]

I agree and i also hate to think like this but there has to be dissuasion from illegaly hitting players. Like Pare did, like Greig did and like Xhekaj did.

The best dissuasive would be overlylong suspension. For example, Greig(or Xhekaj) should have been suspended 15 games for their hit, even if there is no consequence.

So unless the league has this kind of dissuasion in place, then mutual destruction is the biggest dissuasive.

Greig should know that he put his star player, not him, in extreme danger when he do a reckless hit like that.

It would also fundamentally change how the game is played for the worse. Hockey is a contact sport. It's part of the appeal.

No one is advocating to go back to the days of Scott Stevens headhunting guys and ending careers. But if you suspend a guy 15 games (which is 18% of an 82 game season) for a hit where no one even gets injured, you might as well take hitting out of the game. No one would ever risk that many games or that much salary for that.

If you're fine with that, not really sure why you watch or enjoy hockey.

 

[Leto]

S Um sorry, I must have missed it somewhere but why all the references to Costco?

Xhekaj worked at Costco a few years ago.

 

[Jaynki]

It would also fundamentally change how the game is played for the worse. Hockey is a contact sport. It's part of the appeal.

No one is advocating to go back to the days of Scott Stevens headhunting guys and ending careers. But if you suspend a guy 15 games (which is 18% of an 82 game season) for a hit where no one even gets injured, you might as well take hitting out of the game. No one would ever risk that many games or that much salary for that.

If you're fine with that, not really sure why you watch or enjoy hockey.

I don't think anyone have a problem with Reinbacher injury since its bad luck on a legal hit.

Greig was a late and high hit. No problem if players think twice before doing them.

 

[le_sean]

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

NHL saying players should police themselves. It’s no wonder there’s so many injuries this preseason

 

[Saundies]

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.

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.

It's not for you, it's for the guys in the room. Whether you like it or not as a fan, fear and intimidation is part of contact sports, especially at that level where guys are so big and strong. There's a reason why a guy like Marner disappear in the playoffs. You do 'play bigger' on the ice if you have guys that can take care of themselves and you out there with you. It's a real factor.

My point wasn't that what Xhekaj did settled anything. You misread it. The point is that neither Pare or Greig followed "the code" where you answer for your dirty hits and fight someone. That settles things usually. The guy who did it has at least owned up and 'paid the price' for what he did.

But they both refused. And that's why it was dealt with the way it was.

 

[PhysicX]

I agree and i also hate to think like this but there has to be dissuasion from illegaly hitting players. Like Pare did, like Greig did and like Xhekaj did.

The best dissuasive would be overlylong suspension. For example, Greig(or Xhekaj) should have been suspended 15 games for their hit, even if there is no consequence.

So unless the league has this kind of dissuasion in place, then mutual destruction is the biggest dissuasive.

Greig should know that he put his star player, not him, in extreme danger when he do a reckless hit like that.

A good deterrent would be a prolific, heck even just a solid powerplay. Teams would be more willing to avoid taking penalties (in theory - this would be part of their game plan).

 

[Saundies]

I don't think anyone have a problem with Reinbacher injury since its bad luck on a legal hit.

Greig was a late and high hit. No problem if players think twice before doing them.

If you suspend a guy 15 games for Greig's hit, players won't think twice before doing just that hit, they'll think twice before doing ANY hit. That's the problem. The game's so fast and there's so many factors that even a hit that was meant to be clean can turn out wrong

What if a 6'4 guy accidentally hits a smaller player in the head if he leans down at the last second? He was aiming chest the whole time, he leans just at the last second, and bam. Is it automatically 25 games or is there nuance to the fact that it happened? Or is it "by the book dirty hit you lose 25% of your salary now bucko"

No one would ever want to hit again. It would destroy the sport as we know it.

 

[ReHabs]

It's not for you, it's for the guys in the room. Whether you like it or not as a fan, fear and intimidation is part of contact sports, especially at that level where guys are so big and strong. There's a reason why a guy like Marner disappear in the playoffs. You do 'play bigger' on the ice if you have guys that can take care of themselves and you out there with you. It's a real factor.

My point wasn't that what Xhekaj did settled anything. You misread it. The point is that neither Pare or Greig followed "the code" where you answer for your dirty hits and fight someone. That settles things usually. The guy who did it has at least owned up and 'paid the price' for what he did.

But they both refused. And that's why it was dealt with the way it was.

This is fair and you're right but I don't approve of dirty hits regardless. What Xhekaj did to Pare was appropriate (he was turtling and needed a beatdown) but a flyby chickenwing wtv is not right.

 

[Ozmodiar]

The best dissuasive would be overlylong suspension. For example, Greig(or Xhekaj) should have been suspended 15 games for their hit, even if there is no consequence.

NHLPA would object due to the forfeiture of salary, so that’s not happening.

 

[Weltschmerz]

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

Is that Engels Expectation?

 

[morhilane]

If anyone should it would be Stutzle for carelessly smashing himself across the head.

I almost wrote the same thing. Also, he should get suspended for all his diving. The worst part is that other Sens are doing it too and it's so blatant but Refs falls for it every freaking time.

 

[The Real Timo]

If anyone should it would be Stutzle for carelessly smashing himself across the head.

Its the refs who should be disciplined for f***ing this up so royally. Greig should have gotten a major and there was no penalty on X because there was no hit.

 

[417]

It's not for you, it's for the guys in the room. Whether you like it or not as a fan, fear and intimidation is part of contact sports, especially at that level where guys are so big and strong. There's a reason why a guy like Marner disappear in the playoffs. You do 'play bigger' on the ice if you have guys that can take care of themselves and you out there with you. It's a real factor.

Of course it's a real factor...but not if you're taking yourself out of the game doing so.

Intimation/fear only works when you're available on the ice.

Players didn't fear Shea Weber because he fought, they feared him because if you crossed him, he'd make you suffer the whole game. So players got real small when he was on the ice and things got out of hand.

THAT'S intimidation. Lucic had that too...when players don't know how to control their emotions, players exploit it.

This is what AX needs to learn, it was true BEFORE this preseason and it's just become even more important for him to learn.

My point wasn't that what Xhekaj did settled anything. You misread it. The point is that neither Pare or Greig followed "the code" where you answer for your dirty hits and fight someone. That settles things usually. The guy who did it has at least owned up and 'paid the price' for what he did.

But they both refused. And that's why it was dealt with the way it was.

I understood everything you wrote, there's nothing particularly difficult to understand about that...it's the "code", I've been watching hockey for 35 years, I know what it is.

 

[Saundies]

This is fair and you're right but I don't approve of dirty hits regardless. What Xhekaj did to Pare was appropriate (he was turtling and needed a beatdown) but a flyby chickenwing wtv is not right.

You're right as well, dirty hits should not be a thing. If Xhekaj does that hit unprovoked, I'm not happy with him at all. Reckless for the sake of being reckless is dumb as hell (the whole reason why I'm pissed off about Pare and Greig to begin with). Obviously the way Stuble crushed Greig last night should be the standard.

This is a bigger issue though, about hockey and the players policing the game when the league/refs won't. Some fans understand it and some fans hate it with a passion. It's an interesting debate, but I happen to like the sport in it's current iteration and I played a little bit growing up so I tend to side with the pro-policing side.

 

[ReHabs]

You're right as well, dirty hits should not be a thing. If Xhekaj does that hit unprovoked, I'm not happy with him at all. Reckless for the sake of being reckless is dumb as hell (the whole reason why I'm pissed off about Pare and Greig to begin with). Obviously the way Stuble crushed Greig last night should be the standard.

This is a bigger issue though, about hockey and the players policing the game when the league/refs won't. Some fans understand it and some fans hate it with a passion. It's an interesting debate, but I happen to like the sport in it's current iteration and I played a little bit growing up so I tend to side with the pro-policing side.

If it was a big boom hit that leveled Timmy Stu I would be praising it. As it stands, I'm just relieved there isn't lasting injury and Xhekaj didn't get suspended. I hope I never see that again.

 

[morhilane]

Its the refs who should be disciplined for f***ing this up so royally. Greig should have gotten a major and there was no penalty on X because there was no hit.

2 min interference at best for what X did. The Ref totally screwed up there and should be fired for total incompetence.

 

[The Real Timo]

2 min interference at best for what X did. The Ref totally screwed up there and should be fired for total incompetence.

I am trying to figure out who are the dumbest people on earth. Leafs fans, sens fans, SN panel, or refs? All of the above is an option too.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Saw the replays. X’s hit is almost identical to the one Greig gave. Late, not a headshot but dirty.

As much as I like the way he stood up for his team, this is right on the line. He could’ve seriously injured Stutzle and then it’d be a whole different conversation.

I get what he’s doing and I love it but he’s got to be careful. This could’ve turned out really bad.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

Saw the replays. X’s hit is almost identical to the one Greig gave. Late, not a headshot but dirty.

As much as I like the way he stood up for his team, this is right on the line. He could’ve seriously injured Stutzle and then it’d be a whole different conversation.

I get what he’s doing and I love it but he’s got to be careful. This could’ve turned out really bad.

File this under FAFO

 

[schwang26]

Arber could’ve done that a lot cleaner. While I think they got the call wrong because Stutzle hit himself with the stick, it was still a late hit and the chicken wing didn’t look good. With Arber’s size, he could’ve creamed him with a solid, legal hit. He cannot and I’m sure will not do that in the regular season.

Off topic, what’s up with those specialty teams?? Holy crap they look bad.

 

[morhilane]

I am trying to figure out who are the dumbest people on earth. Leafs fans, sens fans, SN panel, or refs? All of the above is an option too.

SN panel is media, being dumb is a requirement.
Being a fan usually means not thinking clearly so...dumbness is just collateral damage.

Refs shouldn't be dumb thought.