Georges Laraque recently pointed out a significant incident involving Arber Xhekaj and Ryan Reaves during the game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs yesterday.
It appears that the Maple Leafs forward genuinely fears Xhekaj, as evidenced by video footage.
Despite previously stating in media interviews that he would seek revenge against Xhekaj, Reaves notably avoided a confrontation at one moment during the game. Laraque highlighted this exchange, suggesting that Reaves is indeed intimidated by Xhekaj.
Reaves had been vocal about wanting to retaliate for what Xhekaj did to the Maple Leafs in their last matchup, but he ultimately did not act on those intentions.
Laraque commented, “He’s afraid of him! After Xhekaj’s previous performance against the Maple Leafs, Reaves needed to respond! Xhekaj was prepared and even anticipated a fight yesterday. He delivered two cross-checks and then stood back, waiting for Reaves to engage, but Reaves didn’t want to fight him at all….”
Reaves’ fear of Xhekaj serves as a testament to the toughness and respect surrounding the young player.
At 37, Reaves stands 6’2″ and weighs 225 pounds, boasting 1,072 penalty minutes over 878 NHL games. He has also netted 63 goals and provided 72 assists, totaling 135 career points.
