The Canadiens’ Arber Xhekaj needs to regain his swagger.
That can be hard to do for a 23-year-old defenceman after being sent down to the AHL’s Laval Rocket for 17 games last season and then being made a healthy scratch for the Canadiens’ 4-3 shootout loss to the Islanders in New York last Saturday and again for Tuesday’s 7-2 pounding by the New York Rangers at the Bell Centre.
The Canadiens need the 6-foot-4, 230-pound Xhekaj to be “The Sheriff” again, playing with confidence and physicality and not so afraid to make mistakes.
That can be difficult with the short leash Xhekaj seems to be getting from head coach Martin St. Louis compared to other players. It should also be noted that St. Louis is not a big fan of “The Sheriff” nickname.
“I don’t know … you guys call him ‘The Sheriff,’” St. Louis told the media last season about Xhekaj. “I don’t think any of us call him ‘The Sheriff.’”
The upper-body injury Justin Barron suffered from the huge hit Rangers defenceman Jacob Trouba put on him Tuesday night has opened a spot in the lineup and Xhekaj will play Saturday at the Bell Centre against the St. Louis Blues (7 p.m., SNE, Citytv, TVA Sports).
I asked St. Louis after practice Friday in Brossard what he wants to see from Xhekaj.
“I expect a better version,” St. Louis said.
I then asked St. Louis: “What is the better version?”
“What do you think it is?” St. Louis responded.
“Cut down on the defensive mistakes, I would guess,” I responded.
“Staying alert, consistent,” St. Louis said.
In five games this season, Xhekaj has no points and is minus-4 while averaging 13:33 of ice time. When I spoke with him after practice last Friday — the day before he was made a healthy scratch against the Islanders — Xhekaj said he was thinking too much.
“I feel I’ve been kind of getting in my own head a little bit on the way I’ve been playing and worrying about too much outside noise,” he said. “Not really outside noise, but just things that I can’t control. I think I just got to let that all go and just play my game and everything else will fall into place. It just feels like I’m making some mistakes now that I usually wouldn’t make. I think I’m just overthinking every situation right now.”
That’s not a good thing for a young defenceman with only 100 games of NHL experience.
I asked St. Louis Friday how as a coach he can help Xhekaj get out of his own head and not have him worry so much about making mistakes while trying to find his game.
“I mean, you should be worried about making some mistakes, right?” St. Louis said. “He’s not a rookie anymore. So you should be: ‘I got to be better.’ Very simple. It’s not like we nitpick everything he does, but he’s got to be better. I expect Xhekaj to be a better version.”
St. Louis does seem to nitpick more with Xhekaj than with other players who are struggling.
I asked St. Louis earlier this week about Xhekaj losing his swagger.
“I feel like as a coach you got to be careful with nitpicking on stuff,” the coach said. “So I’m very cautious of trying not to nitpick — not just him, just in general. But there are assignments on the ice defensively inside our concepts, structure, whatever it is, that to me it’s clear. So I stay strong and hard on those. But I don’t nitpick everything because when you start nitpicking everything it’s hard for a player to have swagger. They start second-guessing themselves. They’re not sure what’s the coach going to think here. So you have to be careful. I don’t try to nitpick. I try to stay hard on the things that we talk about.”
The Canadiens, who are off to a 2-4-1 start, will be a better team if “The Sheriff” can return — even if St. Louis doesn’t like the nickname.
Trade winds blowing?
Former Canadien Georges Laraque wouldn’t be surprised if the Canadiens trade Xhekaj.
“There are teams interested in his services and if they get him he won’t be coming out of the lineup like he does in Montreal,” Laraque said this week on his BPM Sports radio show. “Xhekaj knows this and so does his agent. The Canadiens will eventually trade Arber Xhekaj.”
Xhekaj changed agents this summer, dropping Viktor Saljanin and hiring Scott Bartlett of Bartlett Agency before signing a new two-year, US$2.6-million contract with the Canadiens. Xhekaj also helped Laraque this summer at the former NHLer’s youth hockey clinic that is part of the NHL/NHLPA’s First Shift program.
A team that would almost certainly be interested in Xhekaj is Ottawa. Senators owner Michael Andlauer is a big Xhekaj fan after the defenceman helped lead the Hamilton Bulldogs to the 2022 OHL championship. Andlauer still owns the Bulldogs, who moved to Brantford last season. Xhekaj’s brother, Florian, played for the Bulldogs the last two seasons before joining the Rocket this season in Laval.
TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reported Thursday that Canadiens GM Kent Hughes is already looking at trade possibilities seven games into the season.
“They’re already making calls around the league is the reality of it and I do think that the slow start is part of that,” LeBrun said on TSN’s Insider Trading segment. “Although Kent Hughes, traditionally since he’s become a GM in this league, has been among the more active guys in terms of staying in touch with other teams. But in hearing from other teams around the league, Kent Hughes is poking around trying to see what’s out there on the market because I do think there’s a desire for the Habs to add a piece here perhaps and change the makeup a bit of this team. This is a big year.
“Not playoffs … let’s be real,” LeBrun added. “But certainly to make a step and to show real improvement. So nothing imminent and it’s extremely hard to make trades at this time of year, but Kent Hughes certainly phoning around right now.”
In the mix?
The 2-4-1 Canadiens need to get better quickly if they want to stay “in the mix” for a playoff spot, which was the mantra from team management before the season started.
Last season, the Canadiens had a 4-2-1 record after seven games and the season before that they were 3-4-0.
Heading into Saturday’s game against the Blues, the Canadiens are giving up an average of 35 shots per game — the most in the NHL. They are averaging 25.6 shots per game on the opposition — the second-lowest total in the NHL.
St. Louis isn’t worried, repeating several times to reporters after practice Friday that it’s “only seven games.” If the Canadiens lose Saturday against the Blues and again Sunday in Philadelphia against the Flyers (7 p.m., TSN2, RDS) it will be interesting to see if St. Louis says “it’s only nine games.” Samuel Montembeault will start in goal against the Blues and Cayden Primeau will start against the Flyers.
Saturday’s game will mark the return of Claude Julien for the first time since being fired as head coach of the Canadiens on Feb. 24, 2021 and being replaced by Dominique Ducharme. The Blues hired Julien as an assistant coach this summer to help head coach Drew Bannister, who was hired last December to replace Craig Berube.
Sunday’s game will mark the first time the Canadiens face Russian winger Matvei Michkov, who they passed over at the 2023 NHL Draft, selecting defenceman David Reinbacher instead with the No. 5 overall pick. The Flyers took Michkov with the seventh overall pick and he has 3-4-7 totals in his first seven games with the Flyers. Reinbacher suffered a knee injury during a Canadiens pre-season game that is expected to sideline him for 5-6 months.
Through seven games, the Canadiens have eight forwards who have combined to score three goals. Kirby Dach, Joel Armia, Christian Dvorak, Jake Evans (who has played well) and rookie Oliver Kapanen have zero goals, while Alex Newhook, Juraj Slafkovsky (now injured) and Josh Anderson have one each. Dach, who missed almost all of last season with a knee injury, is a team-worst minus-10, while Newhook is minus-7, Armia is minus-6 and Dvorak is minus-5.
Heat turned up
For the first time since he was named head coach, the heat is starting to get turned up on St. Louis from both the media and fans.
The outside noise doesn’t bother him.
“I don’t listen to stuff and I’ll tell you why I don’t listen to stuff, because why would I listen to a critic who is somebody that I would never go (to) for advice for?” St. Louis said after Friday’s practice.
“It’s funny because yesterday I was walking to the Bell Centre, going to work — and, like I said, I don’t listen — but there’s a couple of fans that stopped me and they said, ‘Hey, don’t listen to them,’” St. Louis added with a chuckle. “‘Keep with this.’ So I realize: Oh, OK, this is happening. It’s part of the market, but it’s not going to change what I do and it’s not going to make me upset. But if it does one thing it’s I’m almost thankful because I usually overcome the obstacles and the people that doubt and it fuels me. So I appreciate the market.”
The Trouba Train
Xhekaj had to watch from the press box Tuesday night as Trouba flattened Barron with a huge check into the boards as the Canadiens defenceman entered the offensive zone.
I thought it was a legal check when I saw it live and felt the same way after watching several replays. Trouba kept his shoulder down and Barron dropped his head down just before getting flattened.
The NHL rule on headshots factors in: “Whether the opponent put himself in a vulnerable position by assuming a posture that made head contact on an otherwise full bodycheck unavoidable.”
That’s why Trouba wasn’t penalized for the hit during the game and there was no fine or suspension by the NHL afterward.
“It’s a tough play,” Xhekaj told reporters after practice Thursday when asked about the Trouba hit. “We’re down 5-2 and they’re obviously dominating the game a little bit and to throw a hit like that … I didn’t really like to see it. I know I probably would have done something if I was in the lineup or addressed it, for sure. But I’ll definitely remember it and we’ll see what happens next game (against the Rangers).”
The next game between the Canadiens and Rangers will be on Saturday, Nov. 30 at Madison Square Garden.
As for his own performance this season, Xhekaj said: “I think I’ve been having some leaks defensively and I think they’re causing goals against so I got to tighten that up and I’ll be fine. … I think they want me in (the lineup) for sure and they want me to get better. I wouldn’t be here if that wasn’t the case. I think that’s a positive, and just get better every day.”
Keep your head up
Trouba’s hit on Barron was an example for other young Canadiens players about the importance of keeping their head up and also being aware when players like Trouba are on the ice.
The Canadiens’ Jake Evans was the victim of a vicious headshot from the Winnipeg Jets’ Mark Scheifele during the 2021 playoffs and was taken off the ice on a stretcher. Scheifele was given a five-minute major for charging, a game misconduct and was suspended for four games.
When asked about Trouba’s hit on Barron after Tuesday’s game, Evans said: “I hate seeing that. I didn’t like the hit. I just hate seeing it and hoping J.B. can recover quickly and it’s not too bad. But we’re just thinking of him.
“Some great players in this league, some heavy hitters in this league and you obviously have to be aware of who’s out there,” Evans added. “That just comes with it sometimes. All I can say is you just have to know who you’re up against, whether it’s a top NHL player or a guy who likes to lean into some hits.”
Pezzetta knows his role
The Canadiens’ Michael Pezzetta prides himself on being a great teammate — whether he’s in the lineup or not.
It wasn’t easy for Pezzetta to be a healthy scratch for the first six games before finally getting into the lineup against the Rangers. Two of the players who were in the lineup instead of him for the first six games — rookies Emil Heineman and Oliver Kapanen — sit right beside Pezzetta in the Canadiens’ locker room at the Bell Centre.
“They’re playing hard and I think it’s everyone’s dream to play in the NHL so you’re never upset,” Pezzetta said when asked about Heineman and Kapanen playing ahead of him. “Obviously, they’re taking a spot that maybe I could be in. But it’s not like that. They’re both great kids, they both work really hard. For me, it’s just if they ever need advice I’m there to give it to them. I’m there to pump them up when they scored those sick shootout goals the other night (against the Islanders) or Heino gets his first goal, first point for Kapy. It’s just being a good teammate.
“I mean it comes full circle,” Pezzetta added. “Same as if I ever went in there and one of them had to sit I hope they’re cheering me on. I think that’s just part of being a good teammate.”
Savard looks back on days as GM
Serge Savard was general manager for the Canadiens’ last two Stanley Cups in 1986 and 1993.
He was fired — along with head coach Jacques Demers — after the Canadiens got off to an 0-4-0 start to the 1995-96 season. Savard was replaced by Réjean Houle and Mario Tremblay took over as head coach.
Savard was back at the Bell Centre on Tuesday when the Canadiens’ dynasty team from the 1970s — which won four consecutive Stanley Cups, starting in 1976 — was honoured ahead of the game against the Rangers. Savard won eight Stanley Cups with the Canadiens as a player.
Does he miss being GM of the team?
“At my age, sometimes I get up in the morning and I say: ‘Geez, I think I could do that before breakfast,’” the 78-year-old Savard said with a chuckle. “And some other days I get reminders: Well, just have your nice game of golf once in a while and relax at night. But I’m still very involved … I got my foundation. It’s like when I retired as a player. I didn’t miss it … I stopped right away and I did something else. You know for a long time it’s not going to last forever. It’s the same thing when I was a GM. As GM I didn’t like it because I didn’t decide to retire. When you don’t decide it’s not as pleasant. But I think it’s for younger people.
“Well, there is a GM older than me in the league now,” Savard added with a grin.
Lou Lamoriello, general manager of the New York Islanders, is 82.
Savard has had a bit of a rocky relationship with the Canadiens since he was fired as GM and he went into details about it in his biography, titled Serge Savard: Forever Canadien.
“I was 33 years in this organization and within 10 minutes I was fired and had to empty my desk and go home,” Savard said. “That’s not a real good way to keep good relations. So relations at the beginning were milder and I guess they ignored me for a few years. That was fine. But sometimes as a former player you can make some comments that they don’t like and I don’t think I’m able to lie. If I see something and you ask me a question in that answer I might hurt somebody if I say the truth. But what’s the use to answer a question if you’re not going to say what you think?”
More retired numbers in the future?
Speaking of saying what he thinks, Savard was asked about the possibility of the Canadiens eventually retiring numbers for Jacques Lemaire (No. 25) and Steve Shutt (No. 22), who were part of the 1970s dynasty team but weren’t in attendance Tuesday night at the Bell Centre.
“First of all, the owners decide who they’re going to retire and we’ve had different owners over the years,” said Savard, who had his No. 18 retired in 2006. “And as a fan, where do you draw the line? It’s hard. Where do you draw the line for the Hall of Fame if you try to compare? It’s hard. Personally, if I had to retire a jersey right now I would probably retire two — like they did (in 2009) with Elmer Lach (No. 16) and (Butch) Bouchard (No. 3). I would retire two and my two would be Jacques Lemaire and Toe Blake (No. 6). They had similar careers … Jacques didn’t win as many (Stanley Cups) as a coach, but he was a very good coach, very good player. They both were stars in their years with the Montreal Canadiens and they were great coaches. Toe Blake, especially, with his stats as a player on top of his stats as a coach, to me you have enough points to have your jersey (retired).
“Shutt is another story,” Savard added. “He scored 60 goals (in 1976-77). We can discuss that forever. But, like I said before, where do you draw the line? Why Guy Carbonneau and Bob Gainey are in the Hall of Fame and Claude Provost is not in the Hall of Fame? Claude Provost won nine Stanley Cups, he made the first all-star team and beat Gordie Howe one year on the first team. … It’s very difficult. Whatever you do it won’t please everybody. So that’s why I said it’s always a decision of the owners, really. Maybe, hopefully, if (Molson) does that he will have some advisers around. But at the end of the day, Geoff Molson is the guy that will decide which jersey they’re going to retire.”
I agree with Savard, and Blake would be at the top of my list when it comes to any future number retirements by the Canadiens.