Hockey

Michael Andlauer admits that Arber Xhekaj is “pissing him off” at the moment
David Miller
Michael Andlauer admits that Arber Xhekaj is “pissing him off” at the moment
Credit: Capture d'écran / Screenshot

Before the Habs-Senators game, TVA Sports aired an excellent interview by Renaud Lavoie with the former minority owner of the Habs and current owner of the Senators.

The interview was conducted in Gatineau, just metres from the foundation of the team's next amphitheatre. By the way, the view is breathtaking, and as a Gatineau boy myself, I can tell you that the photos and videos don't do it justice.

Andlauer can't wait for this project to be completed, but maintains that it's not for the immediate future, but for the next generation. He's hoping for a first home-level face-off in five years' time.

Hopefully, that face-off will be against the Habs, a rivalry that Andlauer believes is growing from strength to strength. Speaking of this rivalry, he admits that one of the key players is Arber Xhekaj, a guy who was once adored, but is now hated by the owner.

Laughing and joking, he told the TVA Sports reporter that the defender “pisses him off” and that he's a better player than he's showing at the moment.

When the 72 was signed by Marc Bergevin and the Montreal management, he was in the line-up of the Hamilton Bulldogs in the OHL. Andlauer knew him very well, as he was the team's boss.

A few years later, ironically, the Montrealer's former protégé is haunting his former mentor. His challenge to “his superstar” (Tim Stutzle) did not go down well.

As well as talking about amphitheatre projects and the Xhekaj situation, Andlauer also confessed to Lavoie that it was difficult to leave the Canadiens. After all, he grew up in Montreal and has fond memories of his idols, notably Guy Lafleur.

The opportunity to lead his own team was a golden one, so precious that it would have been unthinkable to let it slip away. Understandably so.

In any case, he's very involved and I think the future of the Ottawa team is in much better hands. On TVA Sports, Patrick Lalime, who lived in Ottawa for a few years, spoke with Jacques Martin and Chris Phillips, and both are very enthusiastic about the arrival of the new boss.

To add fuel to the fire, Renaud Lavoie asked his guest at the end of the interview: “Would you be in favor of the Nordiques returning to Quebec City? The answer from Michael, who sees a parallel between his city and the nation's capital: “Absolutely.

In short, a breath of fresh air blew into Ottawa, and courtesy of Renaud Lavoie, we see just how Michael Andlauer is the perfect guy to (re)put the Sens on the map.


Overtime

– A date not to be missed.

– Have you noticed?

– We wish him the best of luck.

– Victory for Artur Beterbiev.

– Wow.

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