Player Discussion Arber Xhekaj: The Sheriff

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

Arber might not be good defensively but what we've seen from

Matheson , Struble , Savard , Barron , Mailloux , Hutson isnt any better defensively . So i don't know why he isnt playing over Struble Mailloux or Barron atleast. Kinda embarassing from MSL to play Mailloux whos AHL material at this moment play over Jackeye

 

[WeThreeKings]

Arber might not be good defensively but what we've seen from

Matheson , Struble , Savard , Barron , Mailloux , Hutson isnt any better defensively . So i don't know why he isnt playing over Struble Mailloux or Barron atleast. Kinda embarassing from MSL to play Mailloux whos AHL material at this moment play over Jackeye

Barron and Mailloux are right shot defenseman.

Arber has to play better than Struble. He didn't in pre season. Struble had some rough games getting back up to speed and Barron hurt.

Now is his chance to establish his game and make it difficult to come out.

 

[Beendair Donedat]

His play suffers because MSL won’t allow him to be the nasty, physical defenseman that he needs to be. He gets benched, he gets blamed and he sits in the press box.

He’s going to take penalties, yes he has to be more careful and he’s worked on that, but he will take penalties. But what he brings is a presence, a swagger. The Habs play bigger and tougher when he’s in the lineup. The other team’s forwards are nervous and less aggressive - see Tkachuk, Brady from early on this season.

MSL gives countless chances to Barron, Matheson, Hutson, Struble and Mailloux when they’re poor defensively. Yet Xhekaj’s leash seems invariably shortened. I don’t think MSL knows how to coach him to maximize his contribution, and he obviously doesn’t value toughness in his lineup. I don’t think Xhekaj will ever get a fair shake with MSL as the coach, to become the defenseman and player he should be. Xhekaj needs a hard nosed coach that understands what he brings and won’t just toss him to the wolves when he makes a mistake.

 

[habdynasty]

he hasn’t been the same since he wrecked his shoulder.

 

[417]

Some of you talk as if he hadn’t been really solid in the second stretch of the season last year after his recall and before his injury. He was playing solid hockey as no 4 guy with Savard.

And while I agree he’s been struggling this year, please don’t act like Mailloux, Strubble, Baron or Hutson have been much better in the d-zone. Heck, even Savard has been ass. The D has been even worse with him out of the line up.

Edit:
He also keeps getting reprimanded and emasculated by St. Louis for playing his game and then we wonder why he looks flavorless on the ice. Let him play or trade him.

Emasculated?!?!?!

 

[HabsAddict]

I love X but he's not going to succeed in the half assed system Marty has created.

X doesn't process the game at the elite level nor the skating that one needs for martys tight zone defense. And Marty is not smart enough to create a system around the majority of players.

The biggest issue of all, does Hughes know what to do to fix this?

 

[Tyson]

If Arber Xhekaj legitimately wants to be traded because he is getting scratched for not playing better than his competition, then trade him.

Thats not the case though because Arber isn't a quitter.

He will be better. But you don't get to just play because you can punch faces.

Very true but the D that played last night was not an upgrade over Xhekaj, they were all brutal.

 

[The Real Timo]

I missed the game but didn't Matheson fight Trouba after the hit? Lol

Oh yeah... he showed him.

 

[Habs]

Oh yeah... he showed him.

This how pathetic the hit and response was



most people here don't remember this I'm guessing, and how many times we've been made total bitches from other teams. Gets old after a while

 

[Habby4Life]

I have been hard on Wifi but he is an important part of this team. His defensive play needs work but so does Logan, Struble, Barron, Hutson, Guhle, Savard, and Math. This D core is not filled with Norris trophy guys, lol.

If he is healthy he should be in the lineup every night, even if he has a bad game, it is the only way this guy will develop into a well rounded D. Others get the benefit of the doubt, and we keep seeing them. Hutson just went -4, he won't sit.

Wifi brings something no one else does (sorry Pezz) a physical element that other teams recognize. When he finds his game he will be a very valuable commodity.

Let him play and stop yanking this guy around. I have a feeling Coach Bombay will drive this guy out of MTL.

 

[Tyson]

I have been hard on Wifi but he is an important part of this team. His defensive play needs work but so does Logan, Struble, Barron, Hutson, Guhle, Savard, and Math. This D core is not filled with Norris trophy guys, lol.

If he is healthy he should be in the lineup every night, even if he has a bad game, it is the only way this guy will develop into a well rounded D. Others get the benefit of the doubt, and we keep seeing them. Hutson just went -4, he won't sit.

Wifi brings something no one else does (sorry Pezz) a physical element that other teams recognize. When he finds his game he will be a very valuable commodity.

Let him play and stop yanking this guy around. I have a feeling Bombay will drive this guy out of MTL.

Well said

 

[417]

Oh yeah... he showed him.

Was I making the point that he did?

 

[rve24]

Why can't this organization figure out that NHL is a tough and rough place to play and you need that on your team?

I guess cause the HF posters claiming this know more about the game than they do.

 

[habdynasty]

Hf coaches are undefeated

 

[Habby4Life]

I guess cause the HF posters claiming this know more about the game than they do.

Have you seen bombays D zone structure, many probably do.

I am sure some are even pee wee coaches so they too could be the next coach of the Habs. Its possible

 

[JoelWarlord]

He's played 5 of the 7 games so far, Struble was way better than him in camp but was injured to start the year so they gave him 2 games in a row instead of scratching him after 1. Mailloux came in because we lost an RD and he got a second game because he scored a goal in his season debut.

I don't think it's any more complicated than that, he's one of the guys in the third pair rotation and other guys were in the lineup for a couple games.

 

[Tyson]

Have you seen bombays D zone structure, many probably do.

I am sure some are even pee wee coaches so they too could be the next coach of the Habs. Its possible

 

[habdynasty]

It’s too bad Savard is taking up a spot. He should have been traded at the deadline.

 

[Tyson]

---

It’s too bad Savard is taking up a spot. He should have been traded at the deadline.

He actually looks like he lost a step this season. It happens as we age. Savard is in another era of his career, hopefully he won't try and hang around too long.

 

[Hannibal]

For those who can read french: Chronique | Il n’y a plus beaucoup de laine sur le dos du CH

Martin Leclerc is dead on.

 

[rve24]

Have you seen bombays D zone structure, many probably do.

I am sure some are even pee wee coaches so they too could be the next coach of the Habs. Its possible

Maybe they could if they had a HOF pro career and undtstand the game with a perspective 99.9% who post on here dont undrrstand.
Is your CV updated? Maybe you could fix the structure?
I'd appreciate it as a Habs fan.

 

[Habby4Life]

Maybe they could if they had a HOF pro career.
Is your CV updated? Maybe you could fix the structure?
I'd appreciate it as a Habs fan.

Sorry, I don’t meet the #1 requirement, no pee wee coaching experience. I do volunteer for my 5 yr old daughters ringette team, so maybe that might make me qualified for an assistant position.

HOF pro career doesn’t not automatically translate into an adequate NHL coach. Bombay is proving that, just like Gretz did.

 

[jrom]

For those who can read french: Chronique | Il n’y a plus beaucoup de laine sur le dos du CH

Martin Leclerc is dead on.

Spot on and worth a read by all.

 

[Habby4Life]

Spot on and worth a read by all.

I agree.

 

[rve24]

Sorry, I don’t meet the #1 requirement, no pee wee coaching experience. I do volunteer for my 5 yr old daughters ringette team, so maybe they might make me qualified for an assistant position.

HOF pro career doesn’t not automatically translate into an adequate NHL coach. Bombay is proving that, just like Gretz did.

Lol, ok. Maybe it does qualify you but I doubt it without a lil more on the CV. Armchairs are so comfy.
But if you call any coach to be canned.........you'll be right eventually 99% of the time.

Back to X. Lots of time still to develop n find where his game fits in long term. Fan of his Jr game ( thou on a rival team) fan of his story and hope he earns a long term spot in top 6.