The Montreal Canadiens will be without one of their key defencemen for the remainder of the season.
The Canadiens announced Tuesday that Arber Xhekaj will undergo “season-ending surgery” to his left shoulder this week.
Le défenseur Arber Xhekaj subira demain une opération à l’épaule gauche qui mettra un terme à sa saison. Il devrait être prêt pour le début de la saison prochaine.
Defenseman Arber Xhekaj will undergo season-ending surgery to his left shoulder tomorrow. He is expected to be… pic.twitter.com/VT9q3zOsrY
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 9, 2024
The team also revealed a time frame for Xhekaj’s recovery, saying he is expected to be ready for next season.
Xhekaj, 23, has been out of the lineup since April 4. The Hamilton native netted three goals and 10 points over 44 games with Montreal this season, logging 81 penalty minutes in the process.
The 6-foot-4 blueliner also spent some time with the Laval Rocket, getting sent down to the AHL in December. In his seven-week AHL stint, he found success on the Rocket’s top pairing with prospect Logan Mailloux. Over 17 games, Xhekaj scored three goals and 14 points before being recalled to Montreal.
Riding a record of 29-36-12, the Habs only have five games remaining on their schedule before wrapping up their 2023-24 campaign.
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