The Montreal Canadiens will need to make a big decision involving defenseman Arber Xhekaj
The Sheet with Jeff Marek: Marco D’Amico and Jeff Marek talk about the future of Montreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj. Will it be with the Canadiens, or will they look to move him?
** NHLRumors.com transcription
D’Amico: “I mean, look, is, does Arber want to stay in Montreal? Absolutely. But I think the elephant in the room is, and, and I don’t blame him at all, or his camp, or anybody for having this perception. But he, you know, at some point, it’s how much does this player mean to you as a management team? How much does he means to you as a coaching staff? and how much does he mean to the market? And I think you have to weigh all of those things when you’re having that conversation.
I think the Montreal Canadiens don’t want to trade Arber Xhekaj right now. You know, ideally, he brings an element that not many, if at all, in the organizational depth chart bring. And I think what hurts Xhekaj is, unfortunately, the Canadiens have a, you know, ridiculous amount of depth in terms of left-shot defensemen, and eventually they’re going to have to make a choice because they have guys pushing.
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We just talked about (David) Reinbacher. There’s Adam Engstrom as well from Montreal that will be pushing, and we know that they have other guys coming up in the future like Bryce Pickford, and so on and so forth.”
Marek: “Oh yeah.”
D’Amico: “So you’re gonna have to make decisions on, on some of these guys, and I think Arber’s decision is coming quite soon. That it be now or that it be next summer, but he cannot be an extra defenseman with his skill set. Like, this is a guy that should be playing in the lineup on a regular basis, and if it’s not Montreal, eventually, you know, I could foresee and ask where he would like to go to a team that will guarantee him, or at least offer him the opportunity to be a consistent top six defenseman.”
Marek: “It’s been out there for a while that Philadelphia could be that landing spot. My thought on a player like Arber Xhekaj, though, is you send them to the other conference.”
D’Amico: “Yeah, yeah, yeah. I could. First of all, Philly and and, and what Arber does would be fantastic, but Philly also has an abundance of left-shot defensemen. So, as much as they like him, it would be the same problem.”
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Marek: “It’s, you know, that, you know, what it’s like, if I can cut you off, it’s kind of like who can afford this luxury item? Because given his skill set, you can look at him like, I even. Like we just mentioned Mathieu Olivier a couple of seconds ago. I look at Olivier like a luxury item for the Columbus Blue Jackets. One of like the ultimate luxury items that any team has given that role because he does bring you other things. But I look at Xhekaj too, and I say that’s a luxury item, and it’s got to be so tough to walk away from a luxury item. Do you need it? Do you want it? Absolutely.”
D’Amico: “I think the Canadians do need, like you see it in the playoffs as well. Like you look at the, a team, for example. I go back to Carolina a lot for this, but like the way that Sean Walker has been able to kind of mould his game to what Rob Brind’Amour wants versus what he used to do.”
Marek: “Great example. Yes.”
D’Amico: “Right? Like, I feel like that’s the same thing with Arber. Like, as long as the defensive side and the discipline is there, this is a player that should be in your lineup day in, day out. And I think in Montreal, you’re gonna, it’s management absolutely wants to, to keep this kind of player, and clearly they, they’ve drafted both the brothers. But at the same time, when push comes to shove, it, you know, Martin St. Louis doesn’t necessarily utilize him to the maximum of his capabilities, and he gets five minutes or seven minutes in the playoffs.
Like that’s where the frustration comes in. Whereas, if the consistency was there, because there are, there were moments last season where he was an unmistakable cog in the machine that was the Canadians’ defensive brigade. It’s just that consistency there, and being able to play that consistency. The Canadians have been playing hopscotch with Arber Xhekaj and Jaden Struble for basically the last two years, and I think everybody that watches this team wants to see them make a call. And I think there would be pandemonium if the call wasn’t keeping Arber Xhekaj.”
Marek: “Remind me again, who’s the coach in Philadelphia? I’m new to hockey. Does he like violence? Is he a was he a tough player when he played 22 in the orange jersey there? Anyhow, I digress.”
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