{"id":536575,"date":"2026-04-02T13:14:16","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T13:14:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/536575\/"},"modified":"2026-04-02T13:14:16","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T13:14:16","slug":"a-defining-stretch-ahead-for-canadiens-arber-xhekaj-the-hockey-writers-montreal-canadiens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/536575\/","title":{"rendered":"A Defining Stretch Ahead for Canadiens’ Arber Xhekaj – The Hockey Writers – Montreal Canadiens"},"content":{"rendered":"

With the Montreal Canadiens<\/a> battling in one of the tightest playoff races in the NHL, opportunities are rare and often short-lived. But thanks to an untimely injury on the blue line, Arber Xhekaj<\/a> has been handed exactly that, a window. What he does with it could determine whether he\u2019s watching playoff hockey or playing in it.<\/p>\n

Alexandre Carrier\u2019s Injury Opens the Door<\/p>\n

The Canadiens took a hit on the back end with the news that Alexandre Carrier will be sidelined for two to four weeks<\/a> due to an upper-body injury. It\u2019s a tough loss for a team that has relied heavily on structure and stability in recent weeks, especially during a stretch where every game feels like a playoff matchup. Carrier had quietly been doing his job, helping solidify the defensive rotation.<\/p>\n

In response, the Canadiens recalled Adam Engstr\u00f6m<\/a>, a promising young defenceman who has been making noise with the Laval Rocket<\/a>. While Engstr\u00f6m represents the future, the immediate replacement, at least for now, has been Xhekaj. It was Xhekaj who drew into the lineup Tuesday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning<\/a>, not Engstr\u00f6m. That decision alone speaks volumes. The coaching staff had options, but they chose experience and physical presence over potential. And now, Xhekaj finds himself back in the conversation.<\/p>\n

Finally Getting Ice Time<\/p>\n

To understand the importance of this opportunity, you have to look at what Xhekaj\u2019s past few weeks have looked like. Simply put, he\u2019s been on the outside looking in. Between March 15 and March 29, Xhekaj did not play a single game. During that stretch, it was Jayden Struble who stepped in and helped stabilize the Canadiens\u2019 defensive core. Struble didn\u2019t just fill minutes; he earned trust. In a playoff race, that\u2019s everything.<\/p>\n

\"MontrealMontreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj (Eric Bolte-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

When Xhekaj did get back into the lineup on March 29 against the Carolina Hurricanes, it was in a very limited and somewhat unusual role. He played just over five minutes, and not even as a defenceman, but as a forward. That kind of usage tells you exactly where he stood in the pecking order at the time.<\/p>\n

Related: Canadiens Goaltending Heating up at the Perfect Time<\/a><\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t a demotion officially, but it was close. Fast forward a few days, and the situation has shifted. Against Tampa Bay, Xhekaj logged 12:57 of ice time, his highest since Jan. 29. That\u2019s not top-pairing usage by any means, but it\u2019s meaningful. It shows that the coaching staff is at least willing to give him a real look again.<\/p>\n

A Big Opportunity at the Right Time<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no denying that Carrier\u2019s injury comes at a bad time for the Canadiens as a team. Losing a reliable piece on defence in the middle of a playoff push is never ideal. But for Xhekaj individually, this is exactly the kind of opening he needed. The question is simple: can he take advantage of it?<\/p>\n

Xhekaj\u2019s identity is well established. He brings physicality, toughness, and a presence that very few players in the Canadiens\u2019 lineup can replicate. He can change the tone of a game with a single hit, stand up for teammates, and make opponents think twice about cutting into dangerous areas. But that alone won\u2019t be enough, not anymore.<\/p>\n

What Xhekaj needs to show over the next couple of weeks is that he can play within the structure, make the right first pass, avoid costly turnovers, and hold his position defensively. The Canadiens don\u2019t need him to do too much; they just need him not to hurt them.<\/p>\n

If he can combine his physical edge with reliable, mistake-free hockey, he becomes a very intriguing option for Martin St. Louis heading into the playoffs. Because when the postseason arrives, the game changes. It gets heavier. It gets tighter. Space disappears, and every inch has to be earned. That\u2019s where a player like Xhekaj can thrive, if he\u2019s trusted.<\/p>\n

With Carrier expected to miss at least a couple of weeks, Xhekaj has a clear runway to prove himself. Engstr\u00f6m is waiting. Struble has already made his case. Reinforcements are always looming. Nothing is guaranteed. But for the first time in a while, the opportunity is. Now it\u2019s on Xhekaj to make sure it doesn\u2019t slip away.<\/p>\n

AI tools were used to support the creation or distribution of this content, however, it has been carefully edited and fact-checked by a member of The Hockey Writers editorial team. For more information on our use of AI, please visit our Editorial Standards<\/a> page.<\/p>\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"With the Montreal Canadiens battling in one of the tightest playoff races in the NHL, opportunities are rare…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":483152,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5103],"tags":[1603,407,265,5,264,21,5147,4],"class_list":{"0":"post-536575","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-montreal-canadiens","8":"tag-alexandre-carrier","9":"tag-arber-xhekaj","10":"tag-canadiens","11":"tag-hockey","12":"tag-montreal","13":"tag-montreal-canadiens","14":"tag-montrealcanadiens","15":"tag-nhl"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nhl\/116335302583689356","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/536575","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=536575"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/536575\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/483152"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=536575"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=536575"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=536575"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}