Connect with us

Canadiens Highlights

GOTTA SEE IT: Arber Xhekaj Fights And Drops Matt Rempe

Published

on

arber xhekaj fight rempe

Montreal Canadiens defenceman Arber Xhekaj participated in a rather spirited fight on Sunday night, facing off with New York Rangers tough guy Matt Rempe.



The fight went back and forth, but Xhekaj definitely got the best of his opponent in terms of clean shots, especially when we consider Rempe had his gloves off and was punching before Xhekaj had time to drop his mitts.

This came on the heels of an earlier tussle between Josh Anderson and Braden Schneider, which saw the Rangers’ player head back to the locker room for repairs after he cut his nose on his visor.

Arber Xhekaj and Rempe had a lengthy chat before the puck drop, signalling that a bout was on the docket at the Bell Centre as the original six teams prepared to clash.


It was only Xhekaj’s fourth fight of the season, with AJ Greer, Pat Maroon, and Mathieu Olivier serving as his previous opponents. All things considered, even though the 23-year-old is among the best fighters in the league, there’s no need for him to prove his mettle as often he did in previous years, making his reduced fight card a wise choice when it comes to endurance and durability. He’s a useful player for his team, unlike many of his opponents.

As for Rempe, he’s an attempted hockey player that has only been given more than 10 minutes of ice time once in his career, and is fresh off an eight-game suspension after he boarded Dallas Stars defenceman Miro Heiskanen. It was the fourth time in his short time in the NHL that saw Rempe ejected from a game, and it was also his second suspension following an illegal hit to the head of New Jersey Devils defenceman Jonas Siegenthaler. Suffice it to say, there’s very little actual hockey taking place whenever Rempe is on the ice,

6 Comments
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
6 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
GHG55

I love xhekaj so much. I seriously hope he’s our long term bottom pair option, perhaps beside Konyushkov or Mailloux or something. No he’s not a top pair guy of the future, but you need good depth and he’s seriously raised his floor. So smart not to take the bait against reaves up 3-0, sparks his team today, he’s learned when and when not to (though rempe did kinda just drop em and start swinging). He solid in his play performance, defends his teammates, looks to be very well liked in the room. Just love him. So glad we have him.

jb1565

Can’t agree more. He is deceptively mobile and with a better more agile partner, he will be able to use his mobility and puck carrying ability more effectively. A tough guy that can actually play is a commodity that is hard to come by and should be valued.

Tony

So now everyone knows why Arber didn’t accept the challenge of the Leafs so-called enforcer last night (besides the fact it was 3-0 for Mtl at the time). He had to deal with Rempe tonight. It was a fore-gone conclusion. And while we are at it, can we please sign another tough guy (no disrespect to Pezzetta). I would prefer Olivier, but any major league fighter will do. Arber can’t — he can’t — be expected to do all the heavy fights.

As regards this one, something I noticed about Arber’s strategy (and it’s one Olivier used last year when he fed Rempe his lunch) was that mid-way through the fight Arber switched to punching left handed. Rempe had no response. That guy is going to have have serious health issues if he continues taking so many punches to the head.

Mike Barnes

Rempe’s already shown his lack of class and hockey etiquette with his previous dangerous hits but now add what a scumbag he is in that he can’t even follow the fighter’s “code” and WAIT until Xhekaj drops his gloves too!
We went to see the Habs play the Rangers at the Garden last year and to me, their fans showed the downside of hockey with the loudest cheers when Rempe got on the ice! Really?!? They have Panarin, Fox and others and they cheer the LOUDEST for Rempe?!? PATHETIC Rangers fans!

harry

The sheriff is very important for the Habs he keeps the nonsense from opposing goons in check and very well just ask Rempe and Oldman Reeves

Tony

Old man Reaves. Still crowing about how Xhekaj’s failure to fight him cost the Habs the game. There still is one more game between these two teams this season. I think Arber will feed Reaves his words back to him. One punch at a time.