The Montreal Canadiens have found their new Ben Chiarot
When we talk about the Canadiens' new defensemen, we immediately think of Kaiden Guhle, Logan Mailloux, Jordan Harris and Justin Barron.
But we forget about a certain Arber Xhekaj. The name may not ring a bell since he was never drafted, but this 6-foot-4, 204-pound giant defenseman impressed management at the team's last camp, so much so that Marc Bergevin immediately signed him to a three-year contract.
The 21-year-old is playing with the Hamilton Bulldogs of the Ontario Junior League this season and, as my colleague Keven Mawn of Fanadiens.com mentions,
Xhekaj has, by his own account, all the qualities required to one day play in the NHL, but his style of play can sometimes get in the way.
The defenseman doesn't expect to make the jump to the big club next year because of the depth the team has on defense, but he did allow himself a little comparison of his game with former CH defenseman Ben Chiarot and Jake Muzzin of the Maple Leafs.
Defensemen like Chiarot and Jake Muzzin, those big, strong defensemen, those are the guys that get your team deep into the playoffs. It's a tough role to play, because having to play tough every night and throw the gloves down here and there, it takes its toll on your body. But I think I can do it.
Xhekaj also has some offensive talent, having 17 points in 32 games this season, and interestingly, one of his teammates with the Bulldogs, Jan Mysak, is also a Habs prospect and had nothing but good things to say about him.
It will be interesting to see how Xhekaj develops within the Habs' defenseman hierarchy. If you want to learn more about this prospect out of nowhere, I recommend the excellent article by Nicolas Cloutier of TVA Sports about him.
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 7 | 193 ANSWERS The Montreal Canadiens have found their new Ben Chiarot Could Arber Xhekaj dominate at the next CH training camp? | ||
| Yes | 130 | 67.4 % |
| No | 63 | 32.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
