Unfortunately, another Canadiens rookie had his first season in the NHL cut short due to injuries, as Arber Xhekaj will join Juraj Slafkovsky on the sidelines. Injuries have decimated the Canadiens this season, and Xhekaj, as tough as he is, proved that even he couldn’t escape the path of destruction the injury bug has left. Still, there’s a lot to like about the undrafted rookies’ first year in the league, and some things he can work on too.
Arber Xhekaj: The Good News
For an undrafted rookie, breaking into the NHL at any age is a huge accomplishment and an example of why players should never give up. To break into the NHL at 21 years old after going undrafted means 32 teams made a mistake. There’s a lot to like about Arber Xhekaj’s game. He’s a tough player that can provide some protection for your star players. But he’s also not too shabby with the puck on his stick. He’s more than capable of creating offense and making intelligent decisions with the puck.
Those qualities make him a fan favourite in Montreal, and for good reason. Players who wear their heart on their sleeve get a lot of respect in Montreal, and Xhekaj has made it no secret just how much he loves playing here. If you’ve got 15 minutes and haven’t already seen it, I recommend watching this video on Xhekaj. It shows exactly why he is so beloved in Montreal and why he loves playing here.
Xhekaj had five goals his rookie year, and while none of them are likely to make the highlight reel, they do suggest a promising trend. Normally, shots from the point are considered low danger chances, as they need a lot to go right to make it in the net. And yet, Xhekaj’s five goals all look eerily similar, with seeing eye shots from the point somehow finding a way through traffic. Sometimes, when nothing else is available, your best option really is to throw it on net, and Xhekaj seems to have a knack for getting pucks on net.
I’d still like to see the rookie get a little more involved offensively, trying to work the puck to more dangerous areas of the ice, as I know he’s more capable than the like of Joel Edmundson or David Savard, but this is a great asset to fall back on. This, combined with his toughness and puck moving capabilities will keep him in the NHL for longer. Even better if you can get a good net front tip from time to time as well.
Arber Xhekaj sneaks one through the Coyotes and Christian Dvorak gets the deflection goal! pic.twitter.com/NhKCZkK8pq
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla) December 20, 2022
Arber Xhekaj: The Bad News
It’s hard to pick apart many areas of Xhekaj’s game this season, both because he’s a rookie and had low expectations. It’s unfair to say he didn’t do something well because he’s playing sheltered minutes and still learning to play at this level. You hope to see improvements in certain areas, but they might take time. It’s different from Juraj Slafkovsky, who was the first overall pick and had slightly higher expectations. But this doesn’t mean Xhakaj can’t improve his game, but when it comes to “the bad news,” I really want to focus on a couple areas that I think he can fix quickly.
The first area is fighting. I’d like to see him do it a little less. That may be an unpopular opinion, but I think he could pick his spots better. At this point, I think he’s earned his reputation, meaning he shouldn’t need to prove himself to the rest of the league anymore. So hopefully, he can stay on the ice because, unlike a traditional enforcer, Xhekaj does many things well, and the Canadiens should want him on the ice as much as possible.
This doesn’t mean he shouldn’t fight at all, just less frequently. Fighting can lead to injuries, significant ones at that, and at a minimum, it means going five minutes without Xhekaj, a good player. If a team is taking too many liberties with your star players, then by all means, jump in; just be smart about it. This fight against Kassian, as impressive as it was, is something he hopefully does less next year. He doesn’t need to prove himself anymore.
Montreal rookie Arber Xhekaj gets the better of Zack Kassian in a fight pic.twitter.com/KMZvjURqmL
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) October 20, 2022
I already mentioned the other area I’d like to see him improve. Xhekaj has the capabilities to be a solid puck-moving defenseman in the NHL, but he needs to get more comfortable creating offense. This means getting the puck to high-danger areas, like the front of the net. While it’s nice to be able to get a shot through from the point, getting to the slot will always be a more efficient way to create offense. I felt as though he improved upon this as his season progressed, but I’d like to see him take another step in this department. In the long run, it will pay off really well for Xhekaj and the Canadiens if he can figure that out.
Arber Xhekaj: The Bottom Line
As far as rookies go, I don’t think expectations could’ve been much lower for Xhekaj. With that being said, he still had to go out and perform and earn his minutes. I don’t think St. Louis and Kent Hughes would have hesitated to send him down to the AHL if they felt he wasn’t ready for the NHL. And yet, Xhekaj remained in Montreal all season long. That’s a testament to the year he had and the hard work he displayed to get here. It wasn’t all perfect, but Xhekaj made an impact and showed he could play at this level.
With that in mind, I would say that Xhekaj’s rookie season was a massive success for him and the Canadiens moving forward. Sure, more work must be done to refine his game, but I expect more experience can help him get there. It’ll be interesting to see how Xhekaj progresses next year as he regains his health and potentially earns more playing time.
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