Arber Xhekaj missed Ryan Reaves… And he’ll miss Matt Rempe too

Arber Xhekaj has a reputation as a guy who can fight.

He’s one of the NHL’s good battlers because he’s strong and has good technique(thanks to Georges Laraque)…

And everyone will agree that he’s not afraid to throw down the gloves and take on the NHL’s best big men. We saw it in the first game of the season, when he intimidated Ryan Reaves :

Arber Xhekaj and Ryan Reaves.

Welcome to the new NHL season, folks. #NHLFaceOff pic.twitter.com/1w6xoEKGir

– Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 11, 2023

Ryan Reaves was at the Bell Centre last night… But Xhekaj wasn’t in the lineup due to injury.

Everyone would have liked to see a round 2 between the two big behemoths, and so they should.

After all, it caused such a stir the first time they fought…

It’s safe to say that Xhekaj had tonight’s game circled on his calendar because it’s the first time the Habs have faced the Rangers since Matt Rempe arrived in the National League.

The Canadiens and Rangers crossed swords on February 15… But the Blue Shirts’ agitator played his first game three days later, against the Islanders.

But Arber won’t have a chance to test himself against the Rangers’ goon because he won’t be in uniform tonight .

He’s still injured, as is Kaiden Guhle.

That said… Will it be the same as last night on the ice?

Xhekaj wasn’t in the line-up, which is why Ryan Reaves had a field day throughout the game. There was “no one” to enforce respect on the rink, so Reaves did what he wanted on the ice:

It’s with games like yesterday that we realize how important Xhekaj is in the Tricolore lineup.

Norman Flynn talked about it last night at the Antichambre.

We know that Xhekaj’s primary role is not to drop the gloves. But when he’s around…

You can feel the guys playing with confidence because they know the Sheriff can defend anyone.

All this to say that Xhekaj missed his chance to fight Ryan Reaves… And that he’ll miss his chance to fight Matt Rempe.

Better luck next time, as the other guy would say… But we all agree that we can’t wait for that next time, because it’s exciting when Arber Xhekaj takes on another big NHL behemoth.

In gusts

– Whew.

– He’s having quite a season.

– Patrick Kane never gets old.

VINTAGE SHOWTIME pic.twitter.com/pEoLsXIdff

– Spittin’ Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) April 7, 2024

– Well done.