From Injury to Truimph: Key man for the Montreal Canadiens who was plagued by injury has established himself as #4 defenseman this season as revealed by coach Martin St. Louis

During the 23-24 season, Arber Xhekaj did not have the season that he desired. Due to the fact that the management of the Habs wanted to see him be more consistent defensively, he was plagued by injuries and even spent a brief period of time in the American Hockey League (AHL) during the season. After participating in 17 games with the Rocket, Xhekaj was called back up to the big club at the end of January.

During his time with the big club, he had several respectable instances… It was in the beginning of April when he was forced to undergo surgery on his left shoulder, which ultimately brought an end to his season. All of this is to suggest that he is aware of the fact that the season in question was not “the season of the century” for him. In an interview with the Review, Xhekaj stated that he is aware of the fact that he is capable of giving more, but that injuries had a significant impact on his performance during the previous season. For the beginning of training camp, the defenseman ought to be in peak condition, and he had better get up early since there are going to be some intense battles at the blue line.

Having said that, even though the season does not begin until September, we can already begin to start thinking about the defensemen who will be in Martin St-Louis’ lineup for the first game of the season. There were two players who participated in the game: Eric Engels and Tony Marinaro (Sick Podcast). Both of these players have Xhekaj in their respective lineups. However, the remarks made by Eric Engels are fascinating, particularly when he discusses the concept of the Sheriff’s ceiling. Based on his perspective, the current moment is ideal for him to solidify his position as the fourth defenseman for Montreal: It is not very common for players to bring the same elements to the table. […] His skating stroke is good, he has excellent offensive talents, and he is getting better defensively.

He is a complete player. What percentage of defensemen who are as strong as this one are able to perform the same tasks? This is Eric Engels. Eric Engels does a good job at explaining it. In the event that Xhekaj is able to combine his most valuable assets on the ice, he possesses the potential to establish himself as one of the top four defensemen in Montreal: In the course of training camp, there will be a number of defenders competing for a position on the defense. The names Harris, Struble, Barron, Mailloux, Reinbacher, Hutson, Xhekaj, and Engstrom are all mentioned. Despite the fact that it is a lengthy list, Savard, Guhle, and Matheson are not included on it because their positions in Martin St-Louis’ lineup have already been secured. On the other hand, Xhekaj is able to bring a level of toughness to the table that the other guys (with the exception of Mailloux) do not have in their respective toolbags. This is something that benefits him in his situation.

Considering that Arber Xhekaj has already demonstrated his worth in the National Hockey League at this level, the other 31 clubs are aware that he has the potential to be a threat if he chooses to make effective use of his body. Due to the fact that he has gained experience over the course of the previous two years, the defenseman will be one of the most interesting players to watch during camp. This will be the defenseman’s third season playing in the major leagues. The ball is now in his possession. Although he have the potential to become a top-four player, he must also make sure that he utilizes this potential in the appropriate manner.

Since Arber Xhekaj has the potential to be an extremely talented defenseman in the National Hockey League when he is at his best.