Canadiens' Xhekaj ragdolls Senators forward in AHL fight

Arber Xhekaj may not be with the Montreal Canadiens right now, but he is continuing to play the game the exact same way.

Xhekaj, who was a pleasant surprise on the Habs back end last season, proved in his 51-game campaign that he wasn’t afraid to drop the gloves. He fought several tough customers, including Ryan Reaves, who many believe he got the decision over.

After a slow start to the 2023-24 season, the Canadiens sent Xhekaj to Laval Rocket of the AHL, where he has remained since. While he may not have as many eyes on him, the 22-year-old proved last night that he remains willing to drop the gloves with whoever obliges.

With the Rocket up 4-2 over the Belleville Senators with roughly five minutes gone in the third, Xhekaj got tangled up with Brennan Saulnier, who is a tough customer in his own right. However, you wouldn’t have known it in this scrap as Xhekaj turned the 30-year-old into a punching bag before throwing him down to the ice.

Conseil d’ami: ne pas jeter les gants contre Arber Xhekaj

Friendly advice: don’t drop the gloves against Arber Xhekaj#GoRocket pic.twitter.com/8Sr1pfPUKn

— Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) January 20, 2024

Since joining the Rocket, Xhekaj has discovered an offensive side of his game that wasn’t on display at the NHL level a season ago. Through 16 games, he has three goals and 11 points to go with his 34 penalty minutes.

Whether Xhekaj can make his way back to the NHL this season remains to be seen, but he remains a promising player for the Canadiens regardless. Despite the bump in the road this season, he is still very young and has the potential to be an everyday defenceman. While he will never be a star talent, his toughness, as displayed in the video, is part of what makes him a valuable piece.

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