Arber Xhekaj on the attack: his junior coach is (very) skeptical

Jonathan Di Gregorio
Arber Xhekaj on the attack: his junior coach is (very) skeptical
Credit: Arianne Bergeron/NHLI via Getty Images

With less than two weeks to go before training camp begins, Arber Xhekaj has still not reached an agreement with the Canadiens (neither has Zachary Bolduc).

Since we have very few details about the negotiations, we can only speculate on why the two sides have not yet reached an agreement.

However, beyond the contract's value and duration, one might wonder if it isn't actually his role with the Habs that is the real point of contention between the two sides.

After four seasons in the NHL, the Habs' Xhekaj still doesn't have a guaranteed spot on the roster and has to settle for a role as the team's sixth or seventh defenseman, rotating with Jayden Struble.

Despite the importance of his role as the team's enforcer, he often has to settle for limited ice time and regularly watches games from the press box.

This is especially true given that the Canadiens are actively seeking to add a right-handed defenseman to their roster, which could further limit Xhekaj's playing time.

It would not be surprising if, in that case, the 25-year-old defenseman were to seek assurances regarding his role before signing a contract with the team.

Earlier this week, I discussed the possibility raised by Grant McCagg of playing Xhekaj as a winger to allow him to fulfill his role as a physical presence with more limited ice time without overburdening the rest of the Canadiens' defensive corps.

However, according to his former coach in Kitchener, Jay McKee, he is first and foremost a defenseman and has the necessary skills to perform well on the blue line, in addition to bringing a physical presence.

This is a view shared by Stu Cowan, who believes that making such a transition at the NHL level is much easier said than done.

In short, if the Habs manage to reach an agreement with their “sheriff” by the start of the season, it'll be interesting to see what his role with the team will be.


In Brief

– The Alouettes open the scoring.

– The Carabins are dominating the first half.

– Good start to the game for the BJs.

– Alejandro Kirk is on a roll.

– A must-read.

– Martin St-Louis's son with the Phoenix.

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