As the Montreal Canadiens prepare to face off against the Washington Capitals in a pivotal Game 3 at the Bell Centre, all eyes are on the evolving drama surrounding Arber Xhekaj. Just hours before puck drop, the anticipation and uncertainty have reached a fever pitch, with fans and analysts anxiously dissecting every clue about the young defenseman’s status.

Earlier reports had all but confirmed Xhekaj’s return to the lineup, fueling excitement and hope among Canadiens supporters. However, a series of subtle signs and cryptic comments from head coach Martin St-Louis have cast serious doubt on those expectations.

The latest twist came after the morning skate, when Xhekaj was seen putting in extra work on the ice—a move that has historically signaled a player will be scratched for the night. With St-Louis refusing to offer any concrete confirmation and his demeanor hinting at tough decisions behind the scenes, the suspense is palpable. As speculation swirls and the stakes continue to rise, the fate of Arber Xhekaj has become one of the most talked-about storylines heading into this must-win contest. All will be revealed soon, but for now, Montreal holds its breath.

Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

We have two major storylines to watch for tonight’s game at the Bell Centre between the Montreal Canadiens and the Washington Capitals. We’re obviously talking about the situations surrounding Patrik Laine and Arber Xhekaj.

We’ve already discussed Laine extensively in the past few hours..

Now, let’s talk about Xhekaj.

Many sources claimed (earlier today) that Arber Xhekaj would be in the lineup tonight for Game 3 against the Washington Capitals.

And everything suggested that this was the initial plan from Martin St-Louis and his staff.

Has Martin St-Louis changed his mind again about Arber Xhekaj?

However, something seems to have changed in the past few hours, as we now have several signs indicating that, in the end, Arber Xhekaj will not be in uniform tonight.

You read that right.

Martin St-Louis absolutely refused to confirm that Xhekaj would play tonight (and his facial expression said a lot), and more importantly, Renaud Lavoie just reported that Xhekaj stayed on the ice for extra work with Michael Pezzetta after today’s morning skate.

That’s usually a telling sign, a clue that never lies, it almost always means the player will be scratched that evening.

I can’t recall ever seeing a player do extra work after morning skate and still play the same night.

So, we’ll have to wait and see, but it sure looks like Martin St-Louis may have changed his mind again regarding Arber Xhekaj.

Check out Renaud Lavoie’s post on the matter:

This would suggest that Pezzetta and Xhekaj are the two players likely to sit tonight (with Kapanen and Laine listed as game-time decisions).

Indeed, players doing extra work in the morning usually don’t play that night..

It’s not looking good, but we’ll find out for sure during warmups.