The Montreal Canadiens are undergoing a significant transformation on defense, and it seems that one player’s role has been dramatically altered. Arber Xhekaj, once considered a staple on the blue line, has now found himself on the outside looking in, as Martin St-Louis makes a bold shift in his defensive lineup. Just a few weeks ago, St-Louis was singing the praises of Xhekaj, referring to him as an essential part of the team’s core.

However, with the arrival of fresh talent on the horizon, such as David Reinbacher and Logan Mailloux, combined with the Canadiens’ current defensive setup, Xhekaj’s future with the team has taken a sharp turn. Despite his physical presence at 6’4″ and 240 pounds, Xhekaj, who has accumulated six points and 118 penalty minutes in 70 games this season, now finds himself relegated to the press box for the 2025 playoffs.

As the Canadiens push forward, the shift in Xhekaj’s status raises questions about his long-term future with the team and what’s next for the once-promising defenseman.

Photo credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

We have officially witnessed a big shift on defense for the Montreal Canadiens.

We were waiting to see how things would play out for the playoffs, but I believe we can now confirm that Martin St-Louis has changed his mind and unfortunately no longer sees Arber Xhekaj as a regular player.

Jayden Struble has officially “pushed out” The Sheriff.

Just a few weeks ago, in an interview, Martin St-Louis was praising the Sheriff’s game and progression, while continuing to give him solid minutes.

Arber Xhekaj was a regular for Martin St-Louis.

Today, we have to face the facts.

Martin St-Louis no longer sees Arber Xhekaj as one of his regular players, nor as one of his top six defensemen

Considering names like David Reinbacher and Logan Mailloux are expected to arrive as soon as next season, along with the current defensemen already in place and possible signings this summer, it’s clear that Xhekaj could truly be out of the picture.

One thing is certain: he will begin the 2025 playoffs in the press box, and unless there’s an injury, don’t expect to see him play in the postseason.

Xhekaj is nothing more than a spare for the Canadiens. Ouch.

“The Habs’ scratches on the ice this morning in Washington:

Arber Xhekaj, Michael Pezzetta, and Oliver Kapanen are working with Adam Nicholas and Alex Burrows.

And Jakub Dobes is working with Éric Raymond.”

– Patrick Friolet, RDS

Arber Xhekaj, 24 years old, is a 6-foot-4, 240-pound defenseman who has 6 points in 70 games this season, along with 118 penalty minutes.