Player Discussion Arber Xhekaj: The Sheriff

[HabsAddict]

Most people here understand this, but there's way too much toxic masculinity being used in making this point. You can both like ballet and hockey, or ever (heaven forbid!) wear skinny jeans, and still come down on either side of the argument with a rational position. You don't sound tough in calling people pu*sies/skinny jeans/etc. You sound like a moron.

Amazing disconnect between complaining about another opinion and then adding you own moronic opinion.

Ignored....

 

[Kents polished head]

Honestly
I just can't stand that some still call him 'WiFi' lol
When we have clearly moved know the real nickname of 'Sheriff'
WiFi makes him sound like some punk Gen Z kid
It was cute for his first training camp there sure,

But it's the Sheriff now.

Pretty sure those who actually are in contact with him on a daily basis and call him Wifi (i.e. the players and coaching staff) have more say in whatever his nickname is than some randoms on a hockey forum.

 

[Habssince89]

Pretty sure those who actually are in contact with him on a daily basis and call him Wifi (i.e. the players and coaching staff) have more say in whatever his nickname is than some randoms on a hockey forum.

Arber said himself he doesn't want people using the wifi nickname. Your post isn't true

 

[Adriatic]

Have you seen yesterday the lightning game? When Hedman got hit? Kucherov, who was on the ice, jump the guy that made the hit. We have nobody who does that on our team. It shouldnt always be on Xhekaj’s shoulders.

A portion of our fanbase and media couldn't handle something like that lolol. We're still talking about Xhekaj defending a teammate in a preseason game like it's a national incident.

 

[Sorinth]

I agree there is a reffing problem, always stems back to the instigator rule. None of this BS happens if they get rid of it. There will be fights, but the days of running around with no worries about getting a beatdown in an important game will be over. The NHL has had a reffing and problem with the rules for decades.

Yeah because we never saw cheap shot artists like Claude Lemieux, or Darius Kasparitis when there was no instigator rule right? The instigator doesn't stop enforcers from beating down opponents who they feel crossed a line which is exactly what we just saw. Hell it's not even enforced most of the time.

The reffing sucks and will always suck so long as refs are being taught that they should let the players play and only get involved to "manage" the game before it gets out of hand. If they ever realize that by not calling a penalty and letting them play they are influencing the game just as much as calling the penalty then we might start to see some competence. Until then the refs might as well have to face the press after each game because the NHL has made them part of the show.

 

[Habs]

Yeah because we never saw cheap shot artists like Claude Lemieux, or Darius Kasparitis when there was no instigator rule right? The instigator doesn't stop enforcers from beating down opponents who they feel crossed a line which is exactly what we just saw. Hell it's not even enforced most of the time.

The reffing sucks and will always suck so long as refs are being taught that they should let the players play and only get involved to "manage" the game before it gets out of hand. If they ever realize that by not calling a penalty and letting them play they are influencing the game just as much as calling the penalty then we might start to see some competence. Until then the refs might as well have to face the press after each game because the NHL has made them part of the show.

Claude's bullshit started after 92 when the instigator rule came into effect. Kasparitis antics also were after the rule was in place. Neither of them would have attempted that before the rule was in place, same for Ulf Samuelsson.

Were there dirty hits before 92? Yup. Did they happen more than once? Rarely, and someone paid the price over and over again

 

[HuGo Sham]

another good quote from MSL...referencing the team and more specifically Arber;

Je ne sais pas ce que les gars ont mangé cet été. Tu n’haïs pas ça, mais tu espères que rien de grave ne va arriver. Il faut être un peu plus mesuré. Mais en même temps, c’est plus facile de retenir ses hommes que de leur dire : "Envoye, j’en veux plus." C’est deux extrêmes. Mais j’aime mieux avoir l’extrême où il faut que je les retienne et qu’on soit un peu plus mesurés [que l’inverse], a dit St-Louis.

 

[sampollock]

So, the Montreal media that's too afraid to ask a tough question is stating this ?

I seen Arpu and couple others. they think maybe.....

 

[Habs]

If you think X is going to be traded, your know nothing about hockey and what X represents to the team.

For non Hab fans and skinny jean crowd read it and run along....

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.

www.sportsnet.ca

@OldCraig71 they are picking on your Wrangler Jeans again

 

[JianYang]

Claude's bullshit started after 92 when the instigator rule came into effect. Kasparitis antics also were after the rule was in place. Neither of them would have attempted that before the rule was in place, same for Ulf Samuelsson.

Were there dirty hits before 92? Yup. Did they happen more than once? Rarely, and someone paid the price over and over again

Honestly, samuelsson was doing horsecrap things way back as a whaler. Chris nilan would attest to that. Did Claude lemieux ever change? One of my first memories is from the 89 finals how he would just blatantly keep running Mike Vernon.

Ken Linseman was known as the rat and made a living being that in the 80s.

Some of the notorious guys just couldn't help themselves despite the different conditions. I think what has emboldened players these days is that the greasy areas are no longer the trenches that they used to be, so more players willing to go stick their nose in there and do certain things.... the reason for that emoldenment goes well beyond the instigator rule in my opinion and has more to do with the league having much lower tolerance on infractions in general, and retributions are way more scrutinized than ever.

 

[Habs]

Honestly, samuelsson was doing horsecrap things way back as a whaler. Chris nilan would attest to that. Did Claude lemieux ever change? One of my first memories is from the 89 finals how he would just blatantly keep running Mike Vernon.

Ken Linseman was known as the rat and made a living being that in the 80s.

Some of the notorious guys just couldn't help themselves despite the different conditions. I think what has emboldened players these days is that the greasy areas are no longer the trenches that they used to be, so more players willing to go stick their nose in there and do certain things.... the reason for that emoldenment goes well beyond the instigator rule in my opinion and has more to do with the league having much lower tolerance on infractions in general, and retributions are way more scrutinized than ever.

I just find the instigator rule is used as a weapon now as a strategy at times.

 

[Sorinth]

Claude's bullshit started after 92 when the instigator rule came into effect. Kasparitis antics also were after the rule was in place. Neither of them would have attempted that before the rule was in place, same for Ulf Samuelsson.

Were there dirty hits before 92? Yup. Did they happen more than once? Rarely, and someone paid the price over and over again

Umm the instigator rule came in in 76 but was rarely ever called until really 2009 when they put an increased focus on it. It's never been a deterrent, just like fighting has never been a deterrent because you know what, lots of hockey players like to fight so it's going to do zilch in deterring them. Like seriously, you think Xhekaj is ever thinking I better not throw a dirty hit because then I might get in a fight that I will probably win.

Did Bobby Clarke only do one dirty play because he or someone had to pay the price by fighting? No he spent his whole doing dirty plays because he was a dirty player.

If anything increased "dirty" hits, which I'd need to see actual proof that it increased has more to do with the speed of the game and the changing views on what constitutes a dirty hit.

 

[waffledave]

 

[red devil]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1841552662598451364

 

[Habby4Life]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1841552662598451364

Of course Knuckles gets it.

Imagine if this was done during his era. He would have done a lot more damage than Wifi. Knuckles was a warrior.

 

[Rapala]

A non established nhler going after a star in a preseason game is always going to spark a response.

It's one of the most hated things among nhlers, and it's one if those things that is not spoken about but there is an understanding.

It goes beyond non established players.
Pezzetta going very hard at Tavares for example was not appreciated.
Throw that code out the window it no longer exists.

 

[HabsAddict]

Knuckles, Fergy, any number of our tough guys through our looong history would of done a lot more then X.

I just want the guys who drop them to take a few boxing lessons to know how to keep their chin down and pick their spots. Bruising their hands on helmets and visors is a bit dumb. A quick jab will do 100 times more damage....

 

[Twisted Sinister]

Astounding, rather?

Nah bro, you make too much sense for the kumbaya crowd. Let them injure our top guys and we'll just bow, smile and shake their hands.

What they'll do is cry about it and talk about how mean and despicable our opponents are. "How dare that Chris Kreider! This is reprehensible behavior! REPREHENSIBLE!"

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

What they'll do is cry about it and talk about how mean and despicable our opponents are. "How dare that Chris Kreider! This is reprehensible behavior! REPREHENSIBLE!"

I love you too buddy