Arber Xhekaj sends a clear message to Martin St-Louis against the Red Wings
Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
Even in a 4-0 loss to the Detroit Red Wings, Arber Xhekaj refuses to leave the Canadiens' lineup.
Saturday night, the Canadiens lost 4-0 to the Detroit Red Wings. In that context, Xhekaj played as if the game were still tied. He delivered hits, stayed close to the action, and brought an energy the bench appreciates.
Even when his ice time doesn't spike, his presence is quickly felt, especially in traffic. At 24 years old and standing 6-foot-4, he plays big and doesn't hide it.
Since the start of the year, we've seen him in and out of the lineup more than once. A night like this is exactly his argument: it stands out without any effort.
When a defenseman plays with intensity, the crowd reacts-and so does the coach. Martin St-Louis can shuffle his pairings, but he can't ignore what Xhekaj is bringing tonight.
"If Arber Xhekaj plays like this every night, MSL will have absolutely NO reason to take him out.
He's flying. He's everywhere.
Arber Xhekaj has played 9 minutes so far.
He has delivered 8 hits-one-third of the Canadiens' total.
You read that right." - Anthony Martineau
He's flying. He's everywhere.
Arber Xhekaj has played 9 minutes so far.
He has delivered 8 hits-one-third of the Canadiens' total.
You read that right." - Anthony Martineau
Arber Xhekaj is putting pressure on to stay in the lineup
Over these three seasons, Arber has played 165 games, recording 9 goals, 20 assists, and 300 penalty minutes. He's not a defenseman who fills up the scoresheet every night, but he makes himself noticed when things get physical.
His number 72 tonight serves as a reminder to everyone: he wants a regular spot. When his ice time drops, his challenge remains simple-be useful without taking himself out of the game.
If St-Louis is looking for consistency, he just delivered a game that strongly supports that case. And when the Canadiens are trailing, a guy who doesn't back down becomes valuable. Period.
"At least Arber Xhekaj showed up to play.
Thank you for that!"
Thank you for that!"
The battle on the blue line is real, and no one is handed minutes out of pity. If he keeps this tone, the debate about his place becomes much harder to settle. If you don't like the result, you can still like the attitude-because that doesn't cheat.
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| POLL | ||
JANVIER 10 | 643 ANSWERS Arber Xhekaj sends a clear message to Martin St-Louis against the Red Wings Should Arber Xhekaj stay in the Canadiens' lineup? | ||
| Yes | 619 | 96.3 % |
| No | 24 | 3.7 % |
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