Habs Daily: Arber Xhekaj Contract Considerations, Caufield’s Goals

Here are the Montreal Canadiens news, highlights, and stories you may have missed on Tuesday

Montreal Canadiens News

• Montreal Canadiens defenceman Arber Xhekaj is a unique player. But there’s more to his game than just big hits and heavyweight tilts. The 23-year-old has shown he can produce solid underlying numbers in the NHL at a time when most of his teammates have struggled to do so. Xhekaj’s contract expired this season, which means the Habs now have to decide what type of approach they take to contract negotiations. Most defencemen in his position are offered bridge contracts, but a long-term deal is worth considering.   [Canadiens Considerations In Arber Xhekaj Contract Negotiations]
• Cole Caufield already had two assists before he scored his third goal at the 2024 World Championship.

Laser alert 🫠 #MensWorlds pic.twitter.com/ZrbnMCMcsB

— USA Hockey (@usahockey) May 21, 2024

• Caufield followed it up with his second goal versus Latvia. Even though he finished the game with four points, he was not named the Player Of The Game for Team USA. POTG honours went to Matt Boldy (1G, 1A). Caufield and the Americans will face the tournament hosts, Czechia, on Thursday at 2:20 pm ET. Former Hab Tomas Plekanec is currently serving as Czechia’s assistant coach.

Cole’s at it again 🚨 #MensWorlds pic.twitter.com/aKFAOGX2wt

— USA Hockey (@usahockey) May 21, 2024

• Juraj Slafkovsky has not scored a goal for Slovakia at the World Championship, but he has maintained a rather impressive point-per-game pace. He assisted on Slovakia’s only goal in a 6-1 loss to Sweden on Tuesday. Despite his consistent production, it seems the youngest player in the Canadiens lineup was frustrated with Slovakia’s relatively poor results. Slafkovsky will now face Kaiden Guhle and Team Canada on Thursday at 10:20 am ET.

Slovak team needs to refocus after 1:6 loss to Sweden and there’s more than one way how to say it.

Craig Ramsay’s way: “I never look to the past or too far to the future. I look only to the next game.”

Juraj Slafkovský’s way: “Let’s go to Prague. I’ve had enough of Ostrava.”

— Štefan Bugan (@StefanBugan) May 21, 2024

• There’s value to icing a defensive group that can play with high-end physicality and mobility, but teams shouldn’t be overly concerned with prioritizing size if we pay attention to the current NHL playoffs.

In not-actually-meaningful-fancy-stats fancy stats:

Edmonton (2nd) is the #NHL‘s only remaining team of the top eight largest defensive teams in the playoffs. All 7 of the other top 8 in size on the blue line have been eliminated.

The remaining:
DAL (9th)
FLA (14th)
NYR (15th)

— Garret Hohl (@GarretHohl) May 21, 2024

National Hockey Now Network

• For the second straight year, Sergei Bobrovsky has helped the Florida Panthers make it to the Eastern Conference final. If he repeats his performance from last year’s sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes, Bobrovsky and the Panthers will be headed back to the Stanley Cup Final. That, however, is a pretty tall order. [Florida Panthers]

• Moments after announcing the organization signed emerging NHL regular defenseman Jack St. Ivany to a three-year deal, the Pittsburgh Penguins signed Czechian free agent D-man Filip Kral to a one-year deal.[Pittsburgh Penguins]
• We now have our first confirmation that there is something of substance behind the Matvei Michkov rumours that suggest the KHL starlet will terminate his KHL contract to join the Philadelphia Flyers. In fact, it has come straight from the mouth of the horse himself, Roman Rotenberg. [Philadelphia Flyers]