Arber Xhekaj

Arber Xhekaj

24-Year-Old DefensemanD
Montreal Canadiens
2024 Fantasy Outlook
In 44 NHL outings last season, Xhekaj registered three goals, seven assists and 61 shots while averaging 15:56 of ice time. While his offensive contributions were somewhat limited, the 23-year-old blueliner certainly threw his body around, racking up 125 hits. Assuming he is fully recovered from a shoulder injury that impacted his 2023-24 campaign, the Ontario native could be in line to log a full season in the NHL, rather than having to split his time in the minors. At best, Xhekaj could push for the 25-point mark and will really only add enough value in formats that heavily utilize the hits category. Read Past Outlooks
$Signed a two-year, $2.6 million contract with the Canadiens in July of 2024.
On verge of role reduction
DMontreal Canadiens
March 29, 2025
Xhekaj's point drought reached 15 games in Friday's 4-1 loss to the Hurricanes.
ANALYSIS
Kaiden Guhle (quadriceps) returned to action Friday, but Xhekaj stayed in the lineup as a seventh defenseman. Xhekaj saw just 3:52 of ice time, so it's very clear he's at risk of heading to the press box if the Canadiens use a six-defensemen lineup. The 24-year-old brings an element of physicality to the lineup, but Jayden Struble and David Savard can also throw the body around, and Guhle's no slouch in that department either. Xhekaj has a career-low six points with 69 shots on net, 176 hits, 62 blocked shots, 118 PIM and a minus-13 rating despite playing in a career-high 69 games in his third NHL campaign.
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NHL Stats
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2022
2024 NHL Game Log
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2023 NHL Game Log
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2024–25 Time On Ice Stats
  • Average Time On Ice:
    14:42
  • Average Power Play TOI:
    0:03
  • Average Short-Handed TOI:
    0:55
 
Ice Time
Power Play
Short-Handed
2022–23
15:16
0:46
0:16
2023–24
15:56
1:01
0:20
2024–25
14:42
0:03
0:55
Canadiens Depth Chart
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Canadiens Power Play Depth Chart
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2023 Fantasy Outlook
The man they call "Wi-Fi" took Montreal training camp by storm a year ago, playing his way onto the Opening Night roster. Xhekaj appeared in 51 of the club's first 53 games (5 goals, 13 points) before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury which required surgery. Xhekaj is a throwback. He's a tough-as-nails rearguard who makes life miserable for opposing forwards. In the 51 games in which he played, Xhekaj tallied 101 penalty minutes and 159 hits. The offensive production here is, and will continue to be, limited, but Xhekaj has legitimate late-round value in formats which value PIM and hits.
More Fantasy News
Ends lengthy drought
DMontreal Canadiens
February 22, 2025
Xhekaj notched an assist and three hits in Saturday's 5-2 win over the Senators.
ANALYSIS
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Registers six shots Saturday
DMontreal Canadiens
February 8, 2025
Xhekaj had a game-high six shots on goal in Saturday's 4-0 loss to New Jersey.
ANALYSIS
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Struggling on offense
DMontreal Canadiens
January 24, 2025
Xhekaj's point drought reached 16 games in Thursday's 4-2 loss to the Red Wings.
ANALYSIS
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Pots goal Friday
DMontreal Canadiens
December 20, 2024
Xhekaj scored a goal on three shots in Friday's 4-3 win over the Red Wings.
ANALYSIS
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Contributes helper in win
DMontreal Canadiens
December 6, 2024
Xhekaj notched an assist, three hits, three blocked shots and two PIM in Thursday's 3-0 win over the Predators.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Not getting hearing
DMontreal Canadiens
October 2, 2024
Xhekaj won't receive a hearing for his hit on Ottawa's Tim Stutzle during Tuesday's preseason contest, per Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports.
ANALYSIS
Stutzle left the game with an upper-body injury as a result of the play. Xhekaj, who signed a two-year, $2.6 million contract with Montreal on July 30, already received a fine for unsportsmanlike conduct against Toronto's Cedric Pare during Saturday's exhibition game. The 23-year-old Xhekaj has 182 PIM over 95 career NHL appearances and is likely to spend a lot of time in the sin bin in 2024-25.
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