Major announcement imminent for Arber Xhekaj: we finally have some clues about the CH's decision

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Jeff Drouin
October 7, 2022 (7:21 PM)

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At the beginning of the Montreal Canadiens training camp, very few experts gave Arber Xhekaj a chance to break into the starting lineup of the big club this season.

However, with his recent performances, especially yesterday's against the Ottawa Sens, he is causing a surprise and forcing his bosses to keep him in Montreal.

Will he succeed?

According to Sportsnet's Eric Engels, not only is it a real possibility, but it's definitely happening.

"Xhekaj closing in on spot with Canadiens."

- Eric Engels

We'll leave his original comment, to make sure we don't misrepresent what he said, but basically it means that Xhekaj is really officially confirming his spot with the Canadiens.

Engels recently mentioned this:

"The 21-year-old (Xhekaj) needs some time to adjust, but not so much that he doesn't look like he belongs on a third Canadiens defense pairing to start the season.

That Xhekaj fills a specific need - especially with big Joel Edmundson sidelined indefinitely with a back injury - gives him the edge in the race for that final spot. He's a 6-foot-4, 238-pound defenseman with a "mean" streak, and he showed it from the start of rookie camp to the end of Thursday's game.

He settled one of the toughest players in the NHL (Auston Watson) in response to a hard hit Watson took on teammate Kirby Dach.

And Xhekaj was in clearly in the knickers and in the head of big bad Brady Tkachuk." - Eric Engels

The Sportsnet reporter clearly believes that Xhekaj will start the season with the Montreal Canadiens and that fits perfectly with the rumors that are circulating behind the scenes. The clues are piling up!

Don't be surprised if, in the next few hours, the organization officially announces that Xhekaj will start the season in Montreal.

The verdict is about to come in and if confirmed, it will be a major announcement for the career of young Arber Xhekaj. It would also be a great decision for the CH.

As Engels mentioned, the Habs don't have anyone else in the lineup who can do the job that Xhekaj does. Plus, his impressive skating stroke, intelligence on the ice and underrated offensive upside make him a perfectly logical choice.

When we say he's almost made indispensable, here's the proof:

Another proof:

For details and the full article by Engels: