Player Discussion Arber Xhekaj: The Sheriff

[Sorinth]

Arbs went to the NHL because of a real lack of depth on the blueline, same as Harris, Struble etc. There was a reason Gorts was canned in NY, just some of the stories you hear snooping around I'm not sure if they are true.

There may have been a lack of depth on the blueline but they still chose Xhekaj over other options. For example Schueneman had played 24 NHL games the year before and did pretty decent, if they didn't value Xhekaj's physical play they likely would have gone with him or taken another player off the waiver wire like they did with Kovacevik or gone with a skilled D in Norlinder.

Even if the rumors about why Gorton was fired in NY are true, it's irrelevant to what he's done with the Habs because it's clear as day the Habs under Gorton/Hughes/MSL do value size.

It's not the size I'm questioning, its the physical depth players on the bottom end ... Evans, Gallagher, Armia, Dvorak etc.. pretty damn soft as well.

Their hands have been tied in this regard due to the contracts being essentially unmoveable.

 

[BozoTheClown]

I am ok with Xhekaj being the way he is. Let the league know you are a bit crazy and can back it up. We’ve needed a guy like this since forever.

 

[JoelWarlord]

I'm sympathetic to the arguments about calming down/picking your spots/not taking bad penalties etc but in preseason I just don't care. It's a different story if he starts routinely doing this stuff in the regular season but that hasn't generally been the case.

He does take way too many penalties but they're mostly "hockey" penalties and not goon/enforcer stuff so that's a separate issue, he hasn't really got into too much trouble doing goon stuff when the games matter.

It's not the size I'm questioning, its the physical depth players on the bottom end. I'm happy with the top 2 lines, I think the D drops off in physical play after Arbs and Struble pretty fast since we don't know if Logan is stick around or what he brings. Evans, Gallagher, Armia, Dvorak etc.. pretty damn soft as well. Mesar, Kapanen, Farrell etc aren't solving the bottom lines lack of physical play either. Pez is not a regular....

I think you're reading too much into the realities of being stuck with some veteran contracts. They just signed Tuch, drafted Florian Xhekaj last year, and Protz/Thorpe this year (and kept Struble/Xhekaj while trading Harris), it's pretty obvious they're trying to keep getting bigger and more physical.

 

[CharleyHorse]

I think he should have got 2 games. Point of contact is such a stupid meat head definition. He was looking to hurt Stutzle and those hits shouldn't be in hockey.

If he lines up stutzle and stutzle has the puck, I have no problem. That wasn't a hockey play though, he had a lot of time to at least ease up, but he chose the meat head way.

I love him and I love the truculence but fair is fair.

In the same vein of fair is fair, I doubt X would have gone after Stutzle if Greig hadn’t pulled his stunt on Dach. That’s not typically X’s style. Yes, he's taken dumb penalties, but not delivering Scott Stevens-hits like hits. It seems like he just reacted to the last two games. If the League or refs won’t step in, it’s good to see someone on the Habs step up and send a message

 

[Ozmodiar]

He was available and did his job.

In the regular season, if you get multiple game misconducts (with 41 game span), you have to sit out a game. And it increases each time.

The occasional one is fine - it will happen - but he’s 2 for 2.

He has to find the sweet spot where he isn’t being kicked out of games. I’m sure he will.

 

[David Suzuki]

In the regular season, if you get multiple game misconducts (with 41 game span), you have to sit out a game. And it increases each time.

The occasional one is fine - it will happen - but he’s 2 for 2.

He has to find the sweet spot where he isn’t being kicked out of games. I’m sure he will.

He shouldn't have been tossed in either game, not his fault refs are soft. Or in the case of last night just incompetent.

 

[Frankenheimer]

He took a braindead penalty that gave Ottawa three quick goals.

I get that a lot of people like that he cheapshots people for some reason I'll never truly understand but in the short time he's played the last two games, he put the team shorthanded for 12 minutes.

He has a bad temper that hurts the team more often than it helps. He can be a decent player but he needs to calm the f*** down.

If he was doing this in the regular season, I think everyone would agree with you. But not sure what you propose as an altnerative. The refs are not doing their job and opposing players are not respecting our players. And I don't mean a little face wash at the net. They are literally running our top players with serious consequences. Then when the players are asked to face the music, they don't.

The game is set up with codes which if not respected does not leave many choices. Two games, two idiots running our guys, two idiots who then keep their gloves on and avoid answering for their actions.

I don't want Xhekaj to blindside anybody, but he has to play with an edge, for now, while other teams take note of what happens when you run our guys. They have to believe there will be consequences that cannot be avoided by hiding all game or the deterrent wont work.

The players are livid. Did you see Evans at the intermission. Players are pissed off and they 100% have Arbers back.

 

[Mrb1p]

Fair is fair, so should Greig get anything? Dach's nowhere near the puck either.

Yes. Dach said it himself, its not a hockey play. We can't have it both ways, we'll just look like f***ing clowns. I'd hate to look like a Sens fan or a Bruins fan they look so f***ing stupid most of the time, lets not be them.

Gonna disagree. That sets a weird precedent where then you can call any interference or hit in a heated game a suspension. He made no head contact and if you're going to suspend a player because your subjective opinion is you think he meant to hurt the other player then that opens just about every hit to possible suspension.

That's a pretty big stretch youre making. That wasn't just interference, that was, I am crossing the whole rink at full speed and have only one intent, and interference.

The problem is how can it be a hit with intent to injure when there wasn’t even a hit? Xhekaj completely missed Stutzle and just clipped his gloves. Stutzle smashed his own head in with his own stick. Xhekaj was already long gone.

The problem is that you can be charged with attempted murder if you miss while shooting your gun. It's the same principle. It's not because he missed or there was no injury, or no contact to the head that it wasn't stupid and predatory.

Stutzle would’ve been asleep on the ice if he wanted to hurt him.

He tried his best.

Every f***ing hit is "looking to hurt someone." That's literally the point of hitting. To hurt and wear down your opponents to make the game easier.

If you think Xhekaj was trying to hurt someone long-term, you're absolutely not thinking clearly. Xhekaj wanted to absolutely demolish Stutzle and make him irrelevant in the game at hand. I can pretty much guarantee that Xhekaj isn't trying to seriously injure someone.

If you think hitting should be removed from hockey? Fine. I can accept that honestly. But if you think it should be removed because someone was trying to injure someone? Then contact sports aren't for you.

Well the actual rule is "separating" a player from the puck, so no, not every hit is looking to hurt someone.

I'm also probably the biggest fan of physical hockey in the world, heck, I have endured more punishment and given out more punishment than you'll ever do in the last month alone, as I practice sports that are rooted in violence. With that said, we can't just be this emotional and be angry about the Greig hit and excuse Xhekaj. They are the same hit.

 

[Habs]

There's not really much management can do about bad legacy contracts. Montreal hasn't really had much ability to change the roster meaningfully (without hurting the bigger objectives) and when they have, they've focused on more important areas like the top 6 or D. But Montreal's cap situation is only just now starting to get cleaned up.

no for sure, that's the issue right now and its really holding the team back.

 

[Adriatic]

Xhekaj teammates must love him though. I expect a lot of noise from nerdy journalists, but anybody that's played this sport appreciates what Xhekaj does without hesitation. Can't have enough of those types. This wasn't the time to be patient and pick his spot.

 

[Mrb1p]

In the same vein of fair is fair, I doubt X would have gone after Stutzle if Greig hadn’t pulled his stunt on Dach. That’s not typically X’s style. Yes, he's taken dumb penalties, but not delivering Scott Stevens-hits like hits. It seems like he just reacted to the last two games. If the League or refs won’t step in, it’s good to see someone on the Habs step up and send a message

Yes, but then you have to be okay with the return of the pendulum. When it happens to our players because a dirty hit was done by a Hab, we better not whine like the Sens are doing, thats such a bad look.

There's no conspiracy against the Habs, it's gonna happen both ways.

 

[Beaker]

He tried his best.

Not a chance… if that’s truly what you believe there’s no discussion to have here.

 

[Mrb1p]

There's not really much management can do about bad legacy contracts. Montreal hasn't really had much ability to change the roster meaningfully (without hurting the bigger objectives) and when they have, they've focused on more important areas like the top 6 or D. But Montreal's cap situation is only just now starting to get cleaned up.

It's super easy to sit Gallagher down in the stand and hand him a beer and a hot dog and tell him to enjoy the game. It's literally so easy. We have more than enough cap space to NOT have this guy on the team.

Not a chance… if that’s truly what you believe there’s no discussion to have here.

Yes, he was clearly just going for a love tap, he didn't go in at full speed, left both his foot off the ice, took out the chicken wing and lean in with all his weight.

Clown post, honeslty.

When you say things like this, you're literally becoming a joke of a fan.

 

[Adriatic]

Yes, but then you have to be okay with the return of the pendulum. When it happens to our players because a dirty hit was done by a Hab, we better not whine like the Sens are doing, thats such a bad look.

There's no conspiracy against the Habs, it's gonna happen both ways.

If a hab lays a dirty hit on an opposing player, I fully expect him to face the music.

 

[Mrb1p]

If a hab lays a dirty hit on an opposing player, I fully expect him to face the music.

Dirty hits have no place in hockey and it's in part why we've been robbed of great careers like Lindros, Crosby, Kariya and others. I love physical play but it can't be destroying careers. That kind of hit does exactly that.

Thats solely on a hockey standpoint too, then there's the people behind the hits too that suffer. It sucks overall.

 

[Ozmodiar]

He shouldn't have been tossed in either game, not his fault refs are soft. Or in the case of last night just incompetent.

Regardless of what you think of the ejection, the same standards will be applied in the reg season.

 

[Captain Mountain]

no for sure, that's the issue right now and its really holding the team back.

I'd argue that the lack of offense and defense are holding the team back more.

 

[BergevinBurner]

View attachment 911708

Yes, he was clearly just going for a love tap, he didn't go in at full speed, left both his foot off the ice, took out the chicken wing and lean in with all his weight.

Clown post, honeslty.

When you say things like this, you're literally becoming a joke of a fan.

From the front on angle to me it honestly looks like he was trying to drive a big hit through Stutzle'e chest, but since he just glanced him he ended up with his shoulder elevated as a natural part of the follow through. I don't see anything close to a chicken wing or attempted head shot.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1841469519308427360

 

[Harry Kakalovich]

It's really frustrating with Xhekaj. He has to learn to stay on the ice. These exact problems got him sent down last year. There's a reason guys don't skate around meting out vigilante justice all over the NHL.

 

[Mrb1p]

From the front on angle to me it honestly looks like he was trying to drive a big hit through Stutzle'e chest, but since he just glanced him he ended up with his shoulder elevated as a natural part of the follow through. I don't see anything close to a chicken wing or attempted head shot.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1841469519308427360

You're debating millisecond body adjustments. It doesn't matter. He crossed the whole ice at full speed, launched himself full force and chicken winged himself into a player that had no puck for more than a second and it was a completely blindside hit.

There's no defending this. The puck left Stutzles stick before Xhekaj even decided to shift his hips into the hit.

Please don't be a homer.

 

[Natey]

I'm also probably the biggest fan of physical hockey in the world, heck, I have endured more punishment and given out more punishment than you'll ever do in the last month alone, as I practice sports that are rooted in violence. With that said, we can't just be this emotional and be angry about the Greig hit and excuse Xhekaj. They are the same hit.

Maybe you should know your audience before just spouting out bullshit pretending that you know for a fact that you live a more physical life than I do.

 

[PhysicX]

I have to disagree.

The Habs had a prolific PP back in the Kovalev-Markov era and they still went out and got Laraque to be a deterrent.

Would you agree both elements are not mutually exclusive? Though you bring an interesting point

 

[BergevinBurner]

It's really frustrating with Xhekaj. He has to learn to stay on the ice. These exact problems got him sent down last year. There's a reason guys don't skate around meting out vigilante justice all over the NHL.

When you lose a top 6 guy to a dirty play for half a season the previous game, then nearly lose another top 6 guy to a headshot in the current game then there's an argument that vigilante justice is needed.

You're debating millisecond body adjustments. It doesn't matter. He crossed the whole ice at full speed, launched himself full force and chicken winged himself into a player that had no puck for more than a second and it was a completely blindside hit.

There's no defending this. The puck left Stutzles stick before Xhekaj even decided to shift his hips into the hit.

View attachment 911714

Please don't be a homer.

I'm not arguing it was a clean hit. He deserved the penalty 100% and I understand why the refs tossed him from the game. But calling for a suspension for a play like that is foolish. By that logic I could argue all of Tkachuk, Xhekaj, Greig and Struble all deserve to be suspended because they all made plays that could have possibly had intent to injure.

 

[Mrb1p]

When you lose a top 6 guy to a dirty play for half a season the previous game, then nearly lose another top 6 guy to a headshot in the current game then there's an argument that vigilante justice is needed.

I'm not arguing it was a clean hit. He deserved the penalty 100% and I understand why the refs tossed him from the game. But calling for a suspension for a play like that is foolish. By that logic I could argue all of Tkachuk, Xhekaj, Greig and Struble all deserve to be suspended because they all made plays that could have possibly had intent to injure.

Greig should get the exact same punishment yes.

Like Dach said, it's not even close to a hockey play.

 

[HomaridII]

Canadiens happy to have Xhekaj's fight: 'We stand up for one another'

When the Canadiens see Arber Xhekaj do whatever it takes to defend them, they value that more than most people understand. They don't want Xhekaj to change, nor should they.

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