No, Arber Xhekaj isn’t afraid of Milan Lucic or Ryan Reaves

The Canadiens’ division is tougher than it was this time last year.

Ryan Reaves, Milan Lucic, Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, Bokondji Imama, Zach MacEwen…

All of these guys arrived in the Atlantic this summer, so the Habs will have to find a way to keep their feet on the ground night after night.

Arber Xhekaj’s name comes up a lot in the discussion. But why?

Because the defenseman isn’t afraid to throw down the gloves, and he proved it (repeatedly) in his very first season in the National League.

That said, he’s not worried about the arrival of the big boys I mentioned at the start of this text. He knows that he can now choose his fights… And even though he knows that he already has a certain reputation in the NHL, he doesn’t want to worry too much about the idea of having to throw down the gloves absolutely.

“Lucic and Reaves don’t worry me,” says Arber Xhekaj!🥊https://t.co/MXZJksAMih

– RDS (@RDSca) September 11, 2023

I love Arber Xhekaj because I think he has the right mentality.

We’re talking about a humble guy who had to work harder than most to get to the National League, and you’ll agree with me if I say he deserves what he’s getting right now.

Because that’s what it’s all about. A year ago, almost to the day… we weren’t talking about him as the Arber Xhekaj we know today. And now we’re talking about the big behemoths who are now in the Habs’ division, because we know he can compete with those guys.

To his credit, quite frankly.

The only thing I wish for him is to be intelligent in deciding who he wants to fight, and to be able to stay healthy.

It was a fight-related injury that forced him to miss the end of the season last year… And we mustn’t let that happen again.

In short

– Well… I hope so!

– I can’t wait to see him go.

– He deserves everything he gets, too.