Almost every NHL player has some sort of game-day ritual or superstition, but Montreal Canadiens defencemen Arber Xhekaj and Kaiden Guhle might have one of the strangest.
Over the past few seasons, fans and reporters who catch the Canadiens’ pre-game warmups have noticed the duo’s quirky on-ice routine. While most players casually pass pucks around or chat, Xhekaj drops down for a few pushups while Guhle stretches next to him. Then, he springs to his feet and gives Guhle’s rear end a playful whack with his stick, prompting an exaggerated reaction.
The choreography of the routine changes slightly each time but remains a regular part of their warmups.
Don’t believe us? Have a look for yourself.
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From the footage collected, it seems this odd tradition began sometime during the Canadiens’ 2021-22 season.
Xhekaj was asked about the offbeat ritual by Arpon Basu of The Athletic last season but didn’t give much of an explanation for its origins.
“I honestly don’t even know where it started,” the 23-year-old said. “We always stretch together at the red line, one time I smacked him on the butt, and another time he just fell, then I guess we just kept it going into that, and then it turned into a baseball swing. I don’t know, it just kind of developed. Each time, it’s something different. It’s pretty funny.”
#Habs Arber Xhekaj and Kaiden Guhle engaging in some warm-up hijinks 😂 pic.twitter.com/koT62jIMgE
— Priyanta Emrith (@HabsInHighHeels) November 12, 2023
Given that Xhekaj has earned a reputation as one of the league’s toughest enforcers, we can only hope he takes it easy on his teammate.