Montreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj, who has been sidelined for a while, is getting another opportunity as head coach Martin St. Louis has confirmed he will return to the lineup for Saturday’s game against the St. Louis Blues. This is a significant moment for Xhekaj, who has frequently been a healthy scratch at the start of the season.
St. Louis has issued what seems to be a final warning to Xhekaj, emphasizing the need for consistent performance and avoiding turnovers. He noted that Xhekaj is no longer a rookie and must move past his initial mistakes.
“I expect a better version of him. He needs to remain attentive and consistent,” St. Louis stated. “He should be concerned about making errors. He’s not a rookie anymore, so he should think: I need to improve. It’s straightforward. We’re not overly critical of every little thing he does, but he must elevate his game. I expect Xhekaj to be better.”
It will be interesting to see how Xhekaj responds to this opportunity, especially as he and other players on the team strive for improvement. Many fans are growing frustrated with the team’s performance, and it’s clear why. Xhekaj will need to rise to the occasion and aim to be part of the solution rather than the problem.
