Martin St. Louis Sends a Clear Message About Canadiens Defenseman Arber Xhekaj
Photo credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
Arber Xhekaj has been pigeonholed into his current role in the NHL, but Head Coach Martin St. Louis believes the talented young star is capable of much more.
The Montreal Canadiens took a huge leap forward in 2024/25, and with so much young talent to lead them into the future, they'll definitely be a team to watch for many years to come.
While it's the likes of Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson that get all the attention, Arber Xhekaj has quietly become a solid third pairing defenseman in the NHL, using his physicality to make a name for himself in the league.
Most may just see him as a physical presence that can fight, and while he's good at that, Head Coach Martin St. Louis has praised the young blue liner, noting that he can be so much more than a simple fighter in the NHL.
"He can do way more than just fight. They call him the Sheriff in Montreal. He's very good at that, but there are a lot of other things he's very good at as well.
I think as a defenseman, especially a young defenseman, the hardest part in the league is just defending. You forget that he's still very young & he's gonna keep improving."
I think as a defenseman, especially a young defenseman, the hardest part in the league is just defending. You forget that he's still very young & he's gonna keep improving."
Obviously, St. Louis has a very high opinion of Xhekaj and his potential at the NHL level, with the Head Coach and the entire organization clearly believing in Xhekaj as a piece of the future for this team.
At this point, he hasn't been able to show it that much, but late in the 2024/25 season he began to show the consistency the team have been waiting for, and if he continues that, he could be a very solid player for a long time to come.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 15 | 418 ANSWERS Martin St. Louis Sends a Clear Message About Canadiens Defenseman Arber Xhekaj Will Arber Xhekaj take on a bigger role next season in Montreal? | ||
| Yes | 335 | 80.1 % |
| No | 83 | 19.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
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