Player Discussion Arber Xhekaj: The Sheriff

Hannibal

Fear the Weber
Feb 11, 2007
11,039
8,520
Only if he proves to be substantially weaker than their top 7.

He will get in next game for Barron.

There isn't a vendetta against the player, he just hasn't been good enough. His fans who act like his dad need to be honest with the player.

Struble and Barron sucks too and doesnt near the swag Xhekaj brings to the lineup. He should play all game. Nobody has clearly outplayed him.
 

WeThreeKings

Demidov is a HAB
Sep 19, 2006
95,296
106,203
Halifax
Struble and Barron sucks too and doesnt near the swag Xhekaj brings to the lineup. He should play all game. Nobody has clearly outplayed him.

He hasn't played well enough when they've been out, so he's gonna get out when Barron comes back in, now Barron played and wasn't great, we should see Xhekaj in next game.

Whatever Xhekaj swag is brought to the lineup has been ineffective this year as they look just as bad with or without him.
 

Hannibal

Fear the Weber
Feb 11, 2007
11,039
8,520
He hasn't played well enough when they've been out, so he's gonna get out when Barron comes back in, now Barron played and wasn't great, we should see Xhekaj in next game.

Whatever Xhekaj swag is brought to the lineup has been ineffective this year as they look just as bad with or without him.

MSL’s pet, jayden struble, look terribly bad and never miss a game. The dude played 10 minutes and ends up -2.

Sorry but Struble and Barron hasn’t showed me more than Xhekaj that makes me think that Xhekaj should sit for those 2. I rather we give the ice time to a rare specimen dman and focus on developing and helping him than give icetime to one of a dozen dmans like struble and Barron. Both of them a nothing special.
 
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Gaylord Q Tinkledink

Registered User
Apr 29, 2018
32,976
36,221
I can't believe Xhekaj ate some of my kid's candy last night, took the extra pizza to work and didn't clean up cat vomit(probably wasn't there when I, I mean Xhekaj left)
 
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417

Cole "Cold" Palmer
Feb 20, 2003
52,371
30,176
Ottawa
MSL’s pet, jayden struble, look terribly bad and never miss a game. The dude played 10 minutes and ends up -2.

Sorry but Struble and Barron hasn’t showed me more than Xhekaj that makes me think that Xhekaj should sit for those 2. I rather we give the ice time to a rare specimen dman and focus on developing and helping him than give icetime to one of a dozen dmans like struble and Barron. Both of them a nothing special.
I'm sure you'll get your wish next game. Xhekaj will be back in and I hope you're as honest about his game as you are here with Struble (didn't watch most of the game, so can't say one way or another).
 
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Hannibal

Fear the Weber
Feb 11, 2007
11,039
8,520
I'm sure you'll get your wish next game. Xhekaj will be back in and I hope you're as honest about his game as you are here with Struble (didn't watch most of the game, so can't say one way or another).

I agree that Xhekaj hasn’t had a good start of the season, but i rather give icetime to him, focus on developing and helping him find his confidence and swag back than wasting time on a rotation tonget struble and/or barron to play. Both of them will be nothing special. Journeyman at best. Xhekaj has the potential to be a true specimen and a important piece for this team at least.
 
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Cole "Cold" Palmer
Feb 20, 2003
52,371
30,176
Ottawa
I agree that Xhekaj hasn’t had a good start of the season, but i rather give icetime to him, focus on developing and helping him find his confidence and swag back than wasting time on a rotation tonget struble and/or barron to play. Both of them will be nothing special. Journeyman at best. Xhekaj has the potential to be a true specimen and a important piece for this team at least.
I hope you're right but I can't lie, i’m starting to have my doubts.

His ability to process the game quickly hasn't improved and it hinders some of his physical skills that he has in spades.

Hopefully get back in the lineup and takes advantage of it.
 

Hannibal

Fear the Weber
Feb 11, 2007
11,039
8,520
I hope you're right but I can't lie, i’m starting to have my doubts.

His ability to process the game quickly hasn't improved and it hinders some of his physical skills that he has in spades.

Hopefully get back in the lineup and takes advantage of it.
Dont forget he hasn’t played that much games and comes back from back to back shoulder surgeries. He needs repetition and time. And most importantly, the same confidence from his coach than the teacher’s pet struble is having. Tough to perform when you feel you walk on eggs.
 

Benstheman

Registered User
Nov 20, 2014
7,214
3,413
It's easy to see that Xhekaj, Struble and Barron are still AHL/NHL tweeners at this point. If we were a contending team, we wouldn't even see 1 of them.

But they are still very young at that's ok to alternate them on the bottom pair. If they play 50+ games each during the season, it's ok for them.
 

417

Cole "Cold" Palmer
Feb 20, 2003
52,371
30,176
Ottawa
Dont forget he hasn’t played that much games and comes back from back to back shoulder surgeries. He needs repetition and time. And most importantly, the same confidence from his coach than the teacher’s pet struble is having. Tough to perform when you feel you walk on eggs.
Probably a result of “too much, too soon”.

They skipped some steps with him because they had nothing else and he was such a breath of fresh air, but in normal circumstances he'd probably still be developping in the AHL.

I haven't given up on him…its all part of the process, but there is too much can twerking going on for him right now.
 
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Tyson

Registered User
Mar 1, 2007
49,310
71,454
Texas
The best thing for Xhekaj right now is that he go play the rest of the season under Pascal Vincent, go down and help Laval build a contender, regain your confidence and be coached properly.
 

rickthegoon

Registered User
Feb 25, 2012
1,222
1,850
I have a hard time understanding why Xhekaj is constantly thrown under the bus.
It’s pretty easy to see that the whole defensive system of the Habs is garbage.
This is the 3rd year for a bunch of our defenders; in normal circumstances, you would expect for the group as a whole to improve , but instead they have ALL regressed in our defensive zone. Not one single defender is reliable in our zone. Where is the « organic » growth that should normally happen?
The system they are trying to implement is either trash or ALL our defenders are dumb as crap and don’t understand it’s concept.
My guess is the system is crap, because ALL our defenders looked better in the previous 2 seasons.
Not playing Xhekaj last night was a stupid decision.
I can’t blame him for playing on his heels this year ; he knows he’s St-Louis whipping boy.
What is St-Louis trying to prove ? He wants to show his authority by bullying the biggest meanest guy in the room , the one that everybody on the team wants by their side when the going gets tough ?
 
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Tyson

Registered User
Mar 1, 2007
49,310
71,454
Texas
I have a hard time understanding why Xhekaj is constantly thrown under the bus.
It’s pretty easy to see that the whole defensive system of the Habs is garbage.
This is the 3rd year for a bunch of our defenders; in normal circumstances, you would expect for the group as a whole to improve , but instead they have ALL regressed in our defensive zone. Not one single defender is reliable in our zone. Where is the « organic » growth that should normally happen?
The system they are trying to implement is either trash or ALL our defenders are dumb as crap and don’t understand it’s concept.
My guess is the system is crap, because ALL our defenders looked better in the previous 2 seasons.
Not playing Xhekaj last night was a stupid decision.
I can’t blame him for playing on his heels this year ; he knows he’s St-Louis whipping boy.
What is St-Louis trying to prove ? He wants to show his authority by bullying the biggest meanest guy in the room , the one that everybody on the team wants by their side when the going gets tough ?
During a rebuild aren't you suppose to work on developing your young players?
Instead we get Dvorak and Armia on a 5 on 3.
There are alot of problems with this team and the coaches can blame the players but they need to take a look in the mirror.
I use to love watching Xhekaj and his bull in a China shop play and they killed that along with his identity.
He is being singled out and people wonder why he grips his stick so tightly, he knows he won't be given the same leeway while similar young players wont be held to the same standard and will not be publicly criticized.

This team has become dysfunctional and the coaches, the leaders and the veterans are to blame, not young Dmen who are still learning the NHL game.
 
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Kennerback

Registered User
Jun 2, 2021
4,187
5,862
Also if he’s not in the teams plan trade him to another team, i think we’ll get a lot of value back. My guess is no one is interested in Barron. We need to bolster our defence bad.
 

Tyson

Registered User
Mar 1, 2007
49,310
71,454
Texas
Also if he’s not in the teams plan trade him to another team, i think we’ll get a lot of value back. My guess is no one is interested in Barron. We need to bolster our defence bad.
Yeah only the Habs bolster their D by trading Kovasevic, Harris and probably Xhekaj.
 

Ieatsht4brkfst

Registered User
Mar 22, 2024
163
167
Only if he proves to be substantially weaker than their top 7.

He will get in next game for Barron.

There isn't a vendetta against the player, he just hasn't been good enough. His fans who act like his dad need to be honest with the player.
its ignorant to act like politics of hughes trading for Barron isnt at play here to make him look good, if your X and your the only one getting called out and sat because of mistakes and missing ice time because of politics it will get in your head, the habs should be working with X like they are with every other player they have identified as their future, but they dont and treat him differently.
 
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Tyson

Registered User
Mar 1, 2007
49,310
71,454
Texas
its ignorant to act like politics of hughes trading for Barron isnt at play here to make him look good, if your X and your the only one getting called out and sat because of mistakes and missing ice time because of politics it will get in your head, the habs should be working with X like they are with every other player they have identified as their future, but they dont and treat him differently.
This is what happens when dysfunctional leadership takes hold. It's only going to get worse with a fragile team and a non existent structure.
 
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Ieatsht4brkfst

Registered User
Mar 22, 2024
163
167
its obvious Marty doesnt like this player and if Marty is the reason X is shipped out it would be a shame for someone who hasnt proven he can even coach identifying players for your organization to keep or not
 
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Tyson

Registered User
Mar 1, 2007
49,310
71,454
Texas
its obvious Marty doesnt like this player and if Marty is the reason X is shipped out it would be a shame for someone who hasnt proven he can even coach identifying players for your organization to keep or not
Habs have longed for a player like this and he obviously needs more time to develop but the coaches and alot of fans are clearly not in his corner. We deserve to lose him.

Send to Laval and away from this coach
 

Kennerback

Registered User
Jun 2, 2021
4,187
5,862
Habs have longed for a player like this and he obviously needs more time to develop but the coaches and alot of fans are clearly not in his corner. We deserve to lose him.

Send to Laval and away from this coach
Sure. But how did we end up with Barron over Kovacevik and Harris. Someone f***ed up.
 
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