Photo credit: All Montreal Hockey / NHL
This morning, Gilbert Delorme dropped a bomb about Arber Xhekaj on BPM Sports.
“After the first period, Martin St. Louis came into the locker room and told us that those who didn’t know how to defend were going to stay seated.” – Nick Suzuki
Montreal now shows a record of 13-9-3 and has lost seven of its last ten games, despite two power-play goals yesterday from Juraj Slafkovsky and Nick Suzuki.
On the airwaves of BPM Spots, Gilbert Delorme didn’t mince words. He suggested that Xhekaj’s career in Montreal could be over-nothing less. He mainly blames him for refusing to fight Kurtis MacDermid at the Bell Centre, after already being criticized earlier this season for not responding to Tom Wilson, after his hit on Jake Evans.
For a fan favorite known specifically for his enforcer role, that’s a lot of turbulence.
“The Sheriff doesn’t drop the gloves anymore!
It’s the end of his career in Montreal!”
– Gilbert Delorme
Arber Xhekaj facing Gilbert Delorme’s verdict
On paper, the case is harsh. At 24 years old, Xhekaj has played 23 games this season, with no goals, just one assist, a minus-six rating, and 42 penalty minutes while averaging 11 minutes and 44 seconds per game. Since arriving in the NHL, he has totaled 30 points and 342 penalty minutes in 188 games.The reality is that Arber Xhekaj’s margin for error is shrinking. The defensive corps already includes Mike Matheson, Lane Hutson, and Noah Dobson, while Kaiden Guhle is set to return, not to mention Adam Engstrom and David Reinbacher pushing from behind.
With so many young defensemen in the system, a full-time spot will not be guaranteed for the Sheriff if his contribution remains limited mainly to penalty minutes. We also remember that not long ago, discussions revolved around a potential trade value as high as a first-round pick for Xhekaj.
Today, after a series of public criticisms and an offensively anemic start to the season, one can wonder whether Kent Hughes let his best window pass to secure such a return. Is it really the “end of his career in Montreal,” as Gilbert Delorme claims? Let’s just say the Xhekaj situation has never been this fragile.
The defenseman still has the age, the contract, and the popularity to turn things around, but from now on, every shift and every physical decision will weigh heavily in the Canadiens’ evaluation.
Previously on All Montreal Hockey
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Gilbert Delorme’s blunt assessment of Arber Xhekaj turns heads: ‘It’s the end of his career in Montreal’
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