Since making his debut with the Montreal Canadiens in 2022, Arber Xhekaj‘s has made himself a fan favourite with his physical style of play.
While it’s a element teams crave for their blue line, it also takes a toll on players, and Xhekaj is no exception.
The 23-year-old has seen his first two seasons in the NHL cut short by shoulder injuries. After suffering a right shoulder injury in 2023, his left shoulder needed to be addressed, but as Xhekaj noted back in April, this was a long time coming.
“My left shoulder’s been kind of bugging me throughout my career, even in junior,” Xhekaj told reporters at the time. “It’s always kind of been something that’s bothering me, but I never checked it. I probably should have a long time ago. It just so happened that the right one blew out last year.”
Xhekaj doesn’t expect his shoulder recovery to impact his preparation for training camp as he continues to do rehab.
Whether having multiple shoulder injuries might force him to be more cautious in how he plays, Xhekaj doesn’t think it’ll have an impact.
“I don’t think so. After I fixed my right shoulder, I didn’t look back and it didn’t affect my game at all,” Xhekaj told reporters Tuesday over Zoom. “I think, just the way I played and maybe the way I worked out when I was younger, it definitely took wear and tear on my shoulders and, obviously, I needed to get them both done. I don’t feel any different and I don’t feel worried at all about changing my game.”
The Hamilton, Ont., native is now looking to help the Canadiens take the next step. Montreal announced Tuesday it had signed Xhekaj and Justin Barron to two-year deals, giving it a young nucleus of defencemen and a lot of competition heading into camp.
“It’s going to be fun,” Xhekaj said. “There’s going to be a lot of great players we have in the system, so it’s going to be fun to compete for a spot every game.”
Xhekaj’s journey to the NHL has been well-documented as a story with unique twists and turns.
He was not selected in the OHL priority selection draft but earned a spot with the Kitchener Rangers after playing in the GOJHL with the St. Catharines Falcons. He even had to work at Costco during the pandemic to pay for his training.
Going undrafted, the Canadiens signed the defenceman to an entry-level deal and since his 2022 debut, he hasn’t looked back.
“It’s been a flash in the eye, I don’t even know how to look back,” Xhekaj said about his journey. “To already be going into my third year off my entry-level deal, it’s like, ‘Where did the time go?’ Things happen pretty fast but I’m grateful for all the years I’ve played and what I’ve experienced to get to where I am today.”