A pleasant surprise occurred during the optional training of the Montreal Canadiens this morning. The young 22-year-old defenseman, Arber Xhekaj, was finally back on the ice with his teammates.
However, it's important to note that, apart from the goalkeepers, only the players who might be left out tonight took to the ice, namely Mattias Norlinder and Michael Pezzetta.
We will have to wait for Martin St-Louis's confirmation to know if Arber Xhekaj will rejoin the lineup tonight, but it wouldn't be surprising if the head coach prefers that number 72 participate in a full training session before returning to play.
One thing is certain, his return is imminent, which is excellent news in itself. His robust style of play has been clearly missed by the Canadiens in recent games. His presence will undoubtedly allow players like Cole Caufield and Alex Newhook to express themselves more freely.
Now it remains to be seen which defenseman will be sent to the Laval Rocket when Xhekaj is officially ready to play matches. Based on recent games, Mattias Norlinder could be the one likely returning to the American League.
