Confirmed Signing with Link: [MTL] D Arber Xhekaj re-signs with the Canadiens (2 years, $1.3M AAV)

[bringbacktheskate604]

Lots of AXE haters in here , weird flex
considering he's a 5-6 , what's to hate?! Good deal , hopefully he can still improve

There seems to be a lot of overreacting to signings or departures of bottom pairing Dmen.

The only time a bottom pairing signing deserves a discourse of substance, is when they are getting paid like #3's. Anything under 2 million with little term is so insignificant in the big picture that only people with an agenda, would bother spending any amount of time trying to make it look bad.

Sadly certain Canadian teams will always attract the haters and usually from two very specific other Canadian franchises, each one directing their efforts on a divisional counterpart.

 

[Paddyjack]

My claims about xhekaj:

he is very undisciplined. I have provided evidence to back this up, and recieved none to the contrary.
He is not a special teams contributor. I have provided evidence to back this up (him not being given opportunities on one of the worst special teams units in hockey), and recieved none to the contrary
He does not play against difficult competition. I have provided evidence to back this up, and recieved none to the contrary.
He struggles defensively. I have provided evidence to back this up, and have seen none to the contrary.

I believe all of this combined makes arber xhekaj an ineffective hockey player, and a net negative for any team trying to win hockey games.

I am actually quite high on Guhle (future top pairing dman), Slaf (Brady Tkachuk+), Suzuki (already a quality 1C), Newhook (top 6 quality player), and Montembault (I have him as more valuable than Markstrom btw).

I am low on Dach (ineffective even strength producer), Xhekaj (for all the reasons listed above), and Matheson (not particularly effective 5v5, PK, or PP imo).

Nice analysis.

A bit pointless though, for a 1.3 M player (2 years). Who cares, really. If he sucks, he is gone. The NHL is full of much worse contracts given to vets on july 1rst.