Arber Xhekaj has had his share of ups and downs this season. There was a time in the first few games of the season when he was on the outside looking in of the lineup, and it looked like he'd be more likely to be involved in a trade than finish the season with the Montreal Canadiens. If Xhekaj did finish the season in Montreal, it seemed like he could be the seventh defenseman all season and become nothing but an extra for the team.
Xhekaj persevered through the early attack on his place in the organization and has become a reliable third-pair defenseman for the Habs this season. The team has a bunch of puck-moving, non-physical, or more offensive-minded defensemen. They have more coming, with players like Logan Mailloux getting games and trying to get a full-time spot in the lineup. The Canadiens will likely trade their other physical defenseman, David Savard, at the trade deadline.
Xhekaj's role is a dying breed, but that doesn't mean teams will stop rostering at least one of those players on their roster. Even Team Canada, with all their skill, had Colton Parayko on their blueline in a shutdown role. There will always be a spot for a player like Xhekaj, but it's up to him to ensure he remains the best option for the Canadiens. For his play this year, he has made them believe that.
Interestingly, Xhekaj's partner through most of this season has been Savard. They've formed a formidable pairing on the blue line, and Savard, leaving for a contender, will "pass the torch" to Xhekaj as the team's new shutdown defenseman. Savard's shoes are big ones to fill, but Xhekaj has the self-belief that he can do it. I will reserve judgment until we see how he plays without the veteran defenseman by his side, but there's no reason to believe he can't.
Xhekaj recently caught up with the Canadiens' social team to give some thoughts on his growth this season. “I’m not overthinking the game. I’m trusting myself,” Xhekaj said. "I'm just trying to build my floor where even on a bad night, I'm still not affecting the team with a defensive mistake or a bad penalty. I've just been laying low, building my game, and being consistent.”
Xhekaj's propensity to take bad penalties was one of the reasons he was the odd man out earlier in the season. Xhekaj landed in some hot water after an incident in the preseason, and it gave the front office pause that he may not have grown up as much as they thought. That may have been true early in the year, but Xhekaj's current growth is a great sign.