At the start of the 2023-2024 season, we were treated to an expected battle between Arber Xhekaj and Ryan Reaves during the duel between the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
This duel did not necessarily keep its promises technically, but the young CH defender can smile since he had the upper hand over one of the biggest tough guys in the National Hockey League (NHL).
During a press briefing organized for the inauguration of its “Le Shérif” burger in collaboration with the La Chambre – Microbrasseries Sportives restaurants, number 72 returned to this quarrel with the Leafs striker. Xhekaj said he was surprised Reaves didn’t try anything after their original brawl in the first period.
“I was a little surprised he didn’t say anything to me or even try to give me a check, but it’s just a game,” he said Wednesday afternoon.
Two days after his fight against Xhekaj, Reaves revealed that he didn’t like the 22-year-old’s move.
“I don’t like being attacked. I don’t know if I’ve ever attacked anyone. You want to fight? Ask me,” said the man whose comments were reported by the Sportsnet network.
“I don’t know if he [m’a poussé dans le filet] deliberately to end it. I don’t know. When I stood up, he finally grabbed me. He just tried to push me,” he said.
“I feel like it was deliberate. We played them two other times, Reaves recalled. I’m sure something will happen. I don’t want to stop at that.”
Advice from Laraque
Elsewhere, Xhekaj said he received lessons on how to look better in the future when throwing gloves from former NHL brawler Georges Laraque.
“He just gave me some advice to avoid getting punched in the face,” explained the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge player. When we give you advice on this, it’s pretty good. He’s a good guy and I really appreciated his words.”
Unfortunately for him, the former Hamilton Bulldogs in the Ontario Junior Hockey League wasn’t really able to use the recommendations shared by Laraque against Reaves, but he will certainly have the opportunity to recover in the coming weeks .