Arber Xhekaj discusses his early struggles

It's not going all that well for Montreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj, who has proven that he is a tough matchup.

Sometimes he over commits on defence, because he is trying to run through the opposition. One thing about Xhekaj that can be a blessing and a curse is that he plays with his heart on his sleeve. This is great in that he stands up for the team, but sometimes he goes over the line or takes not so great penalties.

I do think that it will take a little bit of time, but in my eyes, Xhekaj has the skills to be a very good defenseman for the Habs. The defensive mistakes can all be worked out, but the physicality and heavy shot cannot be taught. Xhekaj also is not a stranger to hard work, and I expect that will be the difference between him reaching his potential or fizzling out.

With Xhekaj's focus on simplifying his game and just playing at a level that can be maintained, he should pull himself out of the funk in due time. I believe when he is at his best, Xhekaj is a very good top-six defender, with the potential to be a complementary scoring option on the blueline. Deep in the belly of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs, having a player that brings what Xhekaj brings to the team is a massive boost.

The Canadiens need to see the defence take the next step, and only when that happens will guys like David Savard and Mike Matheson be moved out. I do believe that they have immense value to the blueline, but I don't necessarily feel like they are a part of the future for the organization. Unloading the two defenders before their value depreciates is important, but it weighs heavily on the development of Lane Hutson, Kaiden Guhle, Jayden Struble, Justin Barron and Xhekaj,

Could Shea Weber be of service to Xhekaj

Surely, somebody who impacted the top power-play unit of every team he has played for so emphatically could be an interesting help for the Habs. Xhekaj has a heavy shot and has shown that it can beat NHL goalies. But he doesn't always get his shots off, or often dumps the puck into the corner, and that's why I think Shea Weber could be a big help.

Weber had a ton of power, which is a huge contributor to the goals he scored, but you can't just have a heavy shot. Timing and positioning are huge factors, and because he mastered them he seldom had his shots completely blocked. Xhekaj's shots get blocked and more often than not they don't go towards the net.

If Weber could go over video of Xhekaj's offensive zone touches and give him some pointers, I think his great slapshot will get some exposure. For some reason he opts for a snapshot more than any other shot. But he has a devastating slapshot, that if used properly could result in more goals.

Weber scored goals that overwhelmed defenders and opposing goaltenders, and Xhekaj has the potential to do the same. A little guidance from Weber should go a long way in helping Xhekaj polish his offensive game.