In recent weeks, a topic that has greatly captured attention within the Montreal Canadiens is undoubtedly the ice time of defenseman Arber Xhekaj. Indeed, after a successful stint in the American League, number 72 has had difficulty securing his spot in Martin St-Louis' lineup, accumulating numerous unnecessary penalties.
Before Jordan Harris suffered an injury against the St. Louis Blues last Sunday, a real battle seemed to be setting up for the role of the sixth defenseman. Unfortunately, to the great dismay of fans, this situation led to Wifi being sent to the stands on several occasions.
However, a verdict has officially been announced: Jordan Harris is not ready to return to play, which will provide an additional opportunity for the sheriff to demonstrate his importance to the team. There's no doubt that Xhekaj must seize this chance to prove that he truly deserves a spot in Martin St-Louis' lineup.
We strongly hope he will manage to impress his head coach, who was an essential part of the Canadiens last season. The defenseman just needs to make better decisions, as his imposing size and robust playing style make him a unique player in Montreal's defensive brigade.
At 23 years old, the 6-foot-4, 240-pound defenseman has recorded one goal and three assists in 23 games with the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge this year, while accumulating 58 penalty minutes. He performed very well with the CH's farm team, the Laval Rocket, with an impressive tally of 11 points in 17 games.
