Martin St-Louis makes an important decision for Arber Xhekaj and it's significant
Arber Xhekaj is theoretically returning from injury, having undergone surgery at the end of last season, and Martin St-Louis has not yet confirmed that he will be able to count on him.
While there's a good sense of the sheriff's physical condition, confirmation that he is 100% recovered is still awaited. However, that seems to be just a formality because he is ready.
A vote of confidence for Arber Xhekaj from Martin St-Louis
The top three defensemen for the Canadiens at the start of the season are clear. It's the remaining three spots that need to be determined, and it seems that the fourth spot has just been assigned.
Martin St-Louis has reportedly made his choice, and Arber Xhekaj will start alongside David Savard.
The progress he made while playing next to David Savard this year has been incredible. I wouldn't be surprised if several young players are paired with him this season to benefit from his mentorship while he's still in uniform.
This also means there are two spots left for four defensemen: Justin Barron, Jayden Struble, Lane Hutson, and Logan Mailloux.
Logic would suggest that Justin Barron might be traded, but Jeff Gorton mentioned last week that the Canadiens currently don't have too many defensemen, and that issue has been resolved.
Stay tuned for updates, but for now, the duo of David Savard and Arber Xhekaj is very promising!
| POLL | ||
Do you think Arber Xhekaj deserves to play in the top 4 on defense? | ||
| Yes | 271 | 75.5 % |
| No | 88 | 24.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
