Arber Xhekaj Wins His Bet, Changing Martin St-Louis' Plans
Not long ago, the Canadiens had three right-handed defensemen and three left-handed ones in the lineup. When the team sent Justin Barron to Laval and recalled Arber Xhekaj, there were then two right-handed defensemen.
Johnathan Kovacevic is a reliable defenseman who does his job without being flashy. On a third pair, he gets the job done.
However, he has been left out due to Arber Xhekaj's brilliance. The Canadiens are now playing with only one right-handed defenseman (David Savard), which is quite rare these days.
Martin St-Louis didn't hesitate to say that the giant played an excellent game on Wednesday night, but he added that his brilliance has been evident for several games now. It seems like he's really finding his stride.
For the coach to decide to go with only one left-handed defenseman in two consecutive games within 24 hours says a lot.
Why not leave Harris in the stands?
As mentioned on Wednesday, Kent Hughes is reportedly negotiating with number 54, with the intention of trading him before the trade deadline. So, it's only natural that he wants to showcase him, especially since he is not harming the team.
The lineup remains unchanged, except for the goaltender, for Thursday night's game.
| POLL | ||
In your opinion, what is the value of Jordan Harris? | ||
| 1st round pick | 97 | 21.6 % |
| 2nd round pick | 207 | 46 % |
| Pick 3rd to 5th round | 116 | 25.8 % |
| Less | 30 | 6.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
