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Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens Arber Xhekaj Injury A Tale Of Caution For The Future

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1 year ago

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Montreal Canadiens defenceman Arber Xhekaj

The Montreal Canadiens are famous for icing a roster bursting at the seams with talent

While most teams loaded up on goons, the Canadiens eschewed the norm, making a name for themselves by representing a rather pure approach to hockey, one that focuses on skill.

And though the approach certainly paid dividends in the past, leading to some of the most talented teams in NHL history, it also led to a sense of insecurity from fans once the talent was diluted and the Stanley Cup runs dried up.

For almost 30 years now, the Canadiens have lacked an identity, maintaining mediocre results while also becoming a punching bag for teams that easily outclass their physical prowess.

Players like P.J. Stock, Georges Laraque, Brandon Prust, Tom Kostopoulos, and even Garth Murray were brought on board in a desperate attempt to change the perception that the Canadiens were an easy mark.

But it was Arber Xhekaj’s ascension to the finally changed it.

Not only did the Canadiens become a team willing to engage in shenanigans, but they were also the ones initiating the physical battles, a situation made possible by the comforting notion that Xhekaj’s affinity for tossing around opponents as if he were in an unlicensed remake of the Hulk could settle any score.

In a season where the playoffs are out of reach and the wins are few and far between, Xhekaj played the role of the entertainer, a necessary element to any organization amid a rebuild.

Losing takes a toll on a team’s pride, but at the very least, fans have been able to take solace in the fact that the Canadiens are no longer the NHL’s punching bag.

However, the change in perception has taken a toll on their designated sheriff.

Xhekaj, who is out indefinitely following an injury that occurred in his ninth fight of the season, is certainly a tough player, but there’s only so much you can expect from a rookie who is thrust into the fighting spotlight.

Especially when the aforementioned rookie is also expected to fill an important role when he’s not busy introducing his fists to the toughest players in the league.

His underlying numbers, which were rather encouraging to start the season, have taken a dip in months, which points to a player that may be willing to engage in more fights than almost every other player in the league but is feeling the adverse physical effects that come with being the designated enforcer.

But even with the ridiculous fight workload, Xhekaj is still among the rookie leaders in several defensive categories.

Xhekaj will fight for every single opportunity he earns, and you can’t criticize his willingness to put his body on the line, however, it’s important to communicate to the young defenceman that he doesn’t have to put the pressure of every single altercation on his back.

He has done a great job reversing the perception that the Canadiens are a soft team, and he’s certainly provided a crucial entertainment factor in what is otherwise a fairly mundane season.

But he no longer has to prove he has his place on this team on a nightly basis.

He already did that with his impressive play to start the year.

When Xhekaj entered the league, he made it clear, he was a hockey player that also knows how to fight.

And as we await an update to see if he’ll require season-ending surgery to repair his shoulder, it’s worth remembering, his most impressive hockey took place when he had both his gloves on.

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