MAJOR: The Shocking Reason Arber Xhekaj Was Sent Down Emerges
Today Arber Xhekaj was sent down to the AHL in a puzzling move. Now we have an explanation as to why the move ended up being made.
Major Confrontation Between Xhekaj And Coach Leads To Demotion
According to one source a confrontation between Arber Xhekaj and head coach Martin St. Louis is partially to blame. The source says that Xhekaj was playing too aggressively and got ripped into by St. Louis. Since this time Xhekaj's play has taken a significant step back.
He then says that he wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't finish the year in Montreal
This move has called the future of Arber Xhekaj into question. The 22-year-old will have a lot to prove heading down to the AHL.
The Future Becomes Murky For Xhekaj In Montreal
With this demotion, it will mark the first time that Xhekaj will spend in the AHL. Many fans and media have wanted Xhekaj to get some AHL experience at some point. With the main concern from the Montreal staff being Xhekaj's aggressiveness where does that leave his future with the team?
Xhekaj is an aggressive, physically involved player on the ice. This is what the entire foundation of his game relies on. His offensive tools are at a minimum at the NHL level. With this demotion, Xhekaj could have an opportunity to develop that side of the game. If he doesn't though he largely remains a player who relies on aggressiveness and physicality.
With other defensemen making their way up through the pipeline it could be difficult for Arber Xhekaj to find his way back up. If he struggles to find his game at the AHL level again a change of scenery could be in order. Plenty of teams would be willing to pay for a young physical presence on the blue line.
| POLL | ||
DÉCEMBRE 4 | 137 ANSWERS MAJOR: The Shocking Reason Arber Xhekaj Was Sent Down Emerges Should the Montreal Canadiens trade Arber Xhekaj? | ||
| Yes | 63 | 46 % |
| No | 74 | 54 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
| G | A | PTS | ||
| Zachary Werenski | 2 | 3 | 5 | |
| Sean Monahan | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
| Jesper Bratt | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Frederick Gaudreau | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Jack Hughes | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Nikita Kucherov | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Mackenzie Weegar | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Kent Johnson | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Alexander Wennberg | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Mitchell Chaffee | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Anthony Cirelli | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Matthew Coronato | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Marcus Foligno | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Nick Foligno | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Conor Geekie | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Brandon Hagel | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Stefan Noesen | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Corey Perry | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Igor Sharangovich | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Dmitry Voronkov | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Complete stats | ||||
| STANDINGS 2024-2025 | ||||||
TOP 10 | GP | W | L | OL | PTS | |
Jets | 19 | 16 | 3 | - | 32 | |
Wild | 19 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 29 | |
Hurricanes | 19 | 14 | 5 | - | 28 | |
Devils | 22 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 28 | |
Capitals | 19 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 27 | |
Golden Knights | 20 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 26 | |
Maple Leafs | 20 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 26 | |
Rangers | 18 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 25 | |
Panthers | 20 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 25 | |
Flames | 20 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 25 | |
| Conference | Cumulative | ||||||