The Montreal Canadiens had a big decision with their rugged defenseman, but they eventually signed Arber Xhekaj to a two-year contract extension. Xhekaj and his agent were likely looking for more than the $2.6 million the Canadiens gave them, but his recent injuries were concerning. Xhekaj has gone under the knife two times over the past two seasons. He has trouble with his shoulders, needing to repair his right one in 2022-23 and his left one this past offseason. The injuries caused him to play 95 games out of 164 over the last two seasons.
Xhekaj was instantly a fan favorite during his 2022-23 debut, but it wasn't for the points he put on the board. He had a respectable five goals and eight assists in his rookie season but just three goals and seven assists this past year. Xhekaj's value isn't the offensive side. It's his role as the Habs' enforcer on the back end. He won't turn down a fight against any combatant and brings pain to the opposing team with crushing body checks.
The Canadiens were unsure of their future with Xhekaj, as they have an abundance of defensive depth in their pipeline. The Canadiens have Kaiden Guhle, Jordan Harris, Mike Matheson, Lane Hutson, Adam Engstrom, and Jayden Struble on the left side of their defense. Most of these players will soon be ready to play full-time minutes in the NHL and have plenty of depth on the right side. Mike Matheson likely won't get another contract with Montreal, but there are still a lot of players that Xhekaj has to fend off.
Arber Xhekaj relies on a bounceback
It's admirable that Xhekaj has enough self-belief to bet on himself and take a team-friendly deal. Xhekaj will try to prove to the Canadiens brass that his shoulder issues are a thing of the past and that he will be able to give them a successful season. The issue for Xhekaj is the depth coming behind him could push him out of the Canadiens' lineup if he has one little falter.
The big question is whether Xhekaj can remain healthy. The injury issues aren't freak accidents. It's due to his bruising style of play. He won't avoid wear and tear on his shoulders with how he plays, as he throws over three hits per game. Pair the high hit totals with his fights, and it's a recipe for re-aggravating his shoulder injuries.
The good thing for Xhekaj is that even if the Canadiens move on from him in two seasons, there will always be a front office that values what he can bring. Some old-school hockey minds will see a modern-day enforcer and pay him a substantial sum to anchor their backend.
The Canadiens view Xhekaj as a great fit
The Canadiens are forming a highly skilled unit in their forward and defense groups. Their drafting of Ivan Demidov and Michael Hage this past offseason improved their offensive outlook on the rebuild. They also have skilled defenders like Lane Hutson and David Reinbacher. All these players will be valuable pieces for the Canadiens, but there isn't much sandpaper in their game.
Xhekaj is a valuable player to have patrolling the ice, even if it's in a limited role on the third pair. Opposing players will think twice about physically intimidating some of the Canadiens' stars if they have a player like Xhekaj to answer to. At a certain point, the Canadiens must decide if Xhekaj's inconsistencies with his health are worth keeping him around for the intimidation factor, but for now, he is a good fit.
Arber Xhekaj will have suitors
Xhekaj was likely comfortable with taking a short-term team-friendly deal because he knows there will be interested teams if the Canadiens move on in two years. If you believe the rumors, plenty of teams asked Kent Hughes about Xhekaj's availability this offseason. However, the contract that Xhekaj signed will still make him a restricted free agent when it expires. The Canadiens will be in full control of Xhekaj's fate, which is the biggest downfall of this contract for the player.
Xhekaj and his agent likely wish they could have gotten enough term to take them into his unrestricted free-agent season. Kent Hughes was able to get Xhekaj on a team-friendly deal, and also maintain control of the contract through the renewal season. The contract extension is a big win in the Canadiens' front office. It's no big surprise that Xhekaj did the Canadiens a favor. He seems like a low-maintenance player, happy to be playing in the best league in the world. For a player who worked at Costco during the pandemic without plans for his hockey future, a $2.6 million contract must feel like he broke the bank four years later.
Canadiens Grade: A
Arber Xhekaj Grade: B-
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