Arber Xhekaj seems to be finding his footing and the right way to play aggressively without crossing the line in recent games. He maintains a physical style of play without getting penalized, resulting in increased ice time. His offensive skills, particularly his physical presence in major league hockey, are becoming evident.
There's a young player making waves in the NHL right now: Rangers center Matt Rempe. The towering 6'8" and 240 lbs player may have limited talent, but he appears poised to take on the league's toughest enforcers. Notably, he has dropped the gloves against Nicolas Deslauriers and Mathieu Olivier, boasting an impressive record in just five games.
The Canadiens will face the Rangers on April 7th in New York, and it's expected that the home team's center will undoubtedly want to go up against the sheriff. Xhekaj needs to do his homework, much like Mathieu Olivier, who gave him a tough time.
It will be interesting to track the progress of this young man. Judging by his statistics, he has never been highly productive, and his role with the Rangers seems clear – serving as an enforcer. Such roles are relatively rare in today's NHL. Hopefully, he'll find a way to contribute meaningfully beyond fighting because his career might otherwise be quite short.
