Look, it is never easy for a player in the NHL to be part of a rotation, whether between the pipes or on defense. The Montreal Canadiens have seen this picture and are going through it again with 23-year-old defenseman Arber Xhekaj.
Even though the Canadiens signed Xhekaj to a new two-year deal over the summer, it did not guarantee him a spot in Martin St. Louis‘s lineup, which can be frustrating for a player.
Just look what happened with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Timothy Liljegren. He signed a new two-year deal at $3 million a season. However, he did not earn the time or impress new head coach Craig Berube to get into the lineup. Liljegren is now in San Jose.
Even though he has been a healthy scratch recently, that does not mean the Canadiens are wasting the prime of Xhekaj’s career.
Former Canadiens player Georges Laraque recently stated on French Canadian radio that Xhekaj is unhappy with constantly being in and out of the lineup. He expected to play more with the new contract.
“It’s normal that Xhekaj isn’t happy because he’s in his prime and expects to play in every game,” Laraque said. “Arber, being in his prime, can’t accept being in and out of the lineup.”
While it is frustrating, we have seen this around the league with other teams, where the player’s and team’s timelines are different and do not match. However, Xhekaj still has a ways to go in his development and can’t be just a one-dimensional play.
Arber Xhekaj brings a physical presence to the lineup the Montreal Canadiens have not had in a long time. Xhekaj plays with an edge that has gotten him in trouble with the officials. Unfairly or not. But head coach Martin St. Louis would like him to play a little more under control.
“The style of his game, when he keeps it in check, he can be a very influential and very impactful player; I think the Canadiens believe that’s part of their future as well,” Darren Dreger said on TSN Radio in Montreal on Friday.
And the top four of the Montreal Canadiens defense is set. You have Mike Matheson, David Savard, Kaiden Guhle, and Lane Hutson. What is Arber Xhekaj, a sixth or seventh defenseman at best? But he needs to improve his defensive game. He can’t always play with that edge that gets him in trouble. But he is still young.
“When you have that six, seven guy who’s more a physical presence, who isn’t great defensively, and he’s not great defensively, like we know why he’s out there, right?” Dennis Bernstein said on TSN Radio in Montreal on Friday. “I mean, can he prove defensively? He’s 23 years old. Defenseman usually develop later, and he’s got some size, you can’t coach that.”
And look, did the Canadiens go up against some teams that were more physical? Sure. The Washington Capitals this past Wednesday, as an example, had Dylan McIlrath and Tom Wilson. But would Arber Xhekaj’s presence matter in the result of that game?