Friday Fights: Arber Xhekaj Is Still Very Good At Punching People In The Face
Minas Panagiotakis. Getty Images.Some of the greatest superstars in NHL history had some of the best enforcers out on the ice protecting them. Wayne Gretzky had Dave Semenko and Marty McSorley. Bob Clarke had Dave Schultz. Steve Yzerman had Bob Probert for the first half of his career.
I fear that Arber Xhekaj's talents are currently being wasted in Montreal. Don't get me wrong--I think Nick Suzuki is a really solid player. Cole Caufield is a great goal scorer. But the Canadiens currently don't have a guy who is a point-per-game player in the NHL. And when you've got a killer like WiFi at your disposal, you need to have a legitimate superstar out there for him to defend.
The end of that fight last night may have been a little underwhelming with both guys tumbling to the ice. But Tanner Jeannot is one of the toughest bastards in the league, and Xhekaj was feeding him there for a moment. The kid is a rookie and he's been crossing heavyweights off his list left and right. Kassian, Maroon, Deslauriers, Jeannot.
I don't know what the record is for most fights by a rookie in a season, but WiFi is on the prowl. That's his 6th so far in the regular season. Only Deslauriers and Jeannot have more. And as much as the end to that fight was a bit of a let down, playing it up to the hometown crowd shows you just how bad this kid wants it. He wants to be the baddest man in the game. All Montreal has do to now is reward him with an absolute stud to guard out there. Considering they're currently sitting dead last in the Atlantic Division, I suppose that's coming in the 2023 Draft.
Sidenote: Best Punch of the Night award goes to Mikhail Sergachev. Granted, his glove was still on and Conor Garland wasn't ready for it. But still as clean of a connection as you'll see from fist to jaw.
No call on the ice, either. God I love NHL refs.