Arber Xhekaj’s role takes another hit ahead of Canadiens game vs Blue Jackets
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Things are not going well for the young Montreal Canadiens defenseman, Arber Xhekaj, right now.
On that note, the excellent performance by Jayden Struble last night unfortunately represents yet another piece of very bad news for Xhekaj.
On X, advanced stats accounts even showed that he was the Canadiens’ best defenseman last night.
Without diving into complex numbers, let’s just say he played an outstanding game and will most likely be back in the lineup tomorrow night against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Struble was solid at both ends of the ice against the top team in the Eastern Conference, just imagine that.
When will we see Arber Xhekaj back in uniform?
Right now, all spots on the Canadiens’ blue line are taken.
“The Sheriff” will have to stay patient and keep watching the team’s success from the stands, at least as long as the six regular defensemen remain healthy.
Jayden Struble, 24, has 10 points in 47 games this season, with a +2 rating. He is a 6-foot defenseman who was selected in the second round by the Montreal Canadiens in 2019.
Arber Xhekaj, 25, has 2 points in 55 games this season, along with 108 penalty minutes (-6 rating). He is a 6-foot-4 defenseman who signed with the Montreal Canadiens as an undrafted free agent in 2021.
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Arber Xhekaj’s role takes another hit ahead of Canadiens game vs Blue Jackets
Do you believe that Jayden Struble has become a better defenseman than Arber Xhekaj?