Montreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj looks set to return to the press box for the next game, which is heightening the rift between him and head coach Martin St. Louis.
This season, Xhekaj has faced considerable criticism, not just from the coaching staff but also from frustrated Canadiens fans unhappy with the team’s overall performance. So far, he has not registered any points in eight games and holds a -6 rating. However, after receiving a season-high 20:34 minutes of ice time during a 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues, St. Louis acknowledged that Xhekaj was making strides in his development.
” I thought he (Arber Xhekaj) was excellent throughout the game,” St. Louis said. “He was very engaged in applying everything that we’ve been working on together, so I’m happy for him.”
Despite these encouraging signs, following an embarrassing 8-2 defeat to the Seattle Kraken, it appears Xhekaj might be back at the bottom again. In practice today, he was seen as an extra alongside Logan Mailloux, who has since been sent back down to the AHL. This suggests that Xhekaj may find himself as a healthy scratch when the Canadiens face the Washington Capitals.
Does this indicate that he has lost the coach’s trust for good? It’s worth noting that his performance in the previous game, despite the lopsided score, was relatively decent, as he recorded only a -1 rating and logged over 17 minutes on the ice. For context, Kirby Dach had the worst rating at -3.
Given the ongoing situation, it’s possible that Xhekaj could be on the trading block or considering a trade request himself, as his frustration with being a healthy scratch likely continues to grow, regardless of the improvements he’s making under St. Louis’ guidance.
Fans should stay tuned for further updates on this developing situation in the coming days, as it seems Xhekaj may be contemplating his future in Montreal.
