The Montreal Canadiens removed Arber Xhekaj from the injured reserve list, then immediately assigned him to the Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League (AHL).
There have been discussions about the 22-year-old defenceman, his game, his future and how he has seemingly been passed over on the depth chart by Jayden Struble. Is that truly the case? Probably not. There are many reasons for this move by general manager (GM) Kent Hughes.
Canadiens Testing Struble
Since his arrival, Struble has ingratiated himself with the fan base. He has played a simple, effective game. He has also brought a physical edge and some puck-moving ability to the lineup. Most of all, he has played like a veteran, with poise and focus.
“He’s made safe sound smart plays things you want from a defenseman. If he’s the guy making the right decisions and benefiting the team with that. It’s hard to take him out.”
Aaron Ward
His play has made it difficult to defend taking him out of the lineup for any reason. He has puck-moving abilities, and so far, has one assist in seven games played. He is also a physical player capable of taking a hit to make a play, but dishes out the hits as well, averaging one hit per game. He has done this while also providing good puck possession numbers with a 54.3% Corsi For percentage.
Currently, Struble can line up on the bottom pair comfortably and give the Canadiens quality minutes at five-on-five or on the penalty kill. This isn’t to say he has made himself a permanent fixture in the lineup quite yet, but it is encouraging that Montreal has yet another NHL-capable defenceman in their system.
Canadiens Identify Xhekaj’s Needs
With Xhekaj sent down to the AHL, questions arose as to why. There has been a lot of talk on social media about the young defender, with suggestions ranging from using him as trade bait to being turned into a forward like fellow tough guy Nicolas Deslauriers was. These make for good filler on the radio call-in shows but that is all it is for now, just talking points. Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis was asked what Xhekaj needs to focus on while down in Laval: “Just be a pro, just work. You guys are making a bigger deal out of this; he’s a young player, it’s part of his process to reach the highest ceiling he’s going to reach as a professional athlete.”
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What needs to be remembered is that he made the jump from junior hockey to the NHL at 21 years old, and that’s not an easy thing to do. Now, one year later, he is being asked to play in Laval where he can be on a top pair, play a lot of minutes in all situations and further develop his game instead of sitting in an NHL press box as a healthy scratch waiting for a lineup change. But the assignment did come as a surprise to him when it happened. While he was taken aback by the move, it was explained what management wanted from him before he reported to Laval.
“They aren’t concerned with my offensive game, what they want is for me to develop my defensive game. They want to see me become a solid defenseman.”
–Arber Xhekaj
While he does have some offence to his game with a blistering shot and a good first pass, he hasn’t really been that bad defensively either. As his advanced possession stats show, he has been a leader on the Canadiens roster in expected goals for per 60 minutes played.
His physical style cannot be ignored, he brings an edge that looks like a throwback to the old-school defenders that punished forwards who dared to enter Montreal’s defensive zone. He can also be considered a “heavyweight” that can defend his teammates against anyone who steps out of line. Xhekaj brings a definite intimidation factor. He will have to deal with what his reputation as a “heavyweight” will bring at the AHL level. There will be challengers trying to make a name for themselves to earn an NHL call-up by going up against one of the NHL’s best fighters. This will be an element of his game that he will need to refine, that is, choosing the timing of a battle that benefits his team and not the opponent.
However, judging from what Struble has brought to the lineup, it would be safe to assume that the Canadiens management is looking for Xhekaj to take on larger defensive assignments, and do so consistently in a convincing manner. By the eye test, it could be seen that he could benefit from better stick placement, which would help him cut off passing lanes. Keeping tighter gaps would allow him to better angle forwards to the outside, along the boards, making it easier for him to negate their speed or transition and cut down their high-danger scoring chances. Also, by making better decisions on when to step up on a forward for a hit, because there are times he has been overly aggressive.
Xhekaj can see this as an opportunity. By playing more minutes in a larger role, he can showcase to management how he can contribute. What will make him successful in the long run is his relentless work ethic. It makes him a fierce competitor on the ice, but also makes him a highly coachable player. It is still very early in his career and he has shown an ability to adapt to the professional game. By using his tools, a strong skating stride, a highly accurate and powerful shot, as well as a self-confidence born of determination, he has the right mix of skills to become a very good defenceman, maybe even a key member of an NHL blue line’s top-four for many years to come.