Despite having had operations on both shoulders in the last two springs, defenseman Arber Xhekaj says he is in great shape. The Montreal Canadiens are also convinced of this since they signed him to a two-year contract on Tuesday.
Moments later, general manager Kent Hughes settled another matter by signing defenseman Justin Barron, the club’s last restricted free agent, to a two-year, $2.3 million deal.
Known for his toughness and boxing skills, Xhekaj is currently recovering from season-ending surgery on his left shoulder on April 10. The 23-year-old also had surgery on his other shoulder the previous spring.
“It’s been a great summer for me,” Xhekaj said in a video conference. “I haven’t had any setbacks, my recovery is going well. The team of therapists here in Montreal did a great job with me. The surgery went well, so everyone is happy.”
Xhekaj was certainly happy Tuesday as he signed a deal that will pay him $2.6 million over the next two seasons. He also figures he’ll be able to start training camp with his teammates in September.
“I’m pretty ready to play right now,” he said. “I’ve been on the ice with guys, battling in the corners — obviously I haven’t started bodychecking because it’s not helping at the moment — and I feel strong. I’m moving well in the gym and I’ll be back for camp, no worries.”
In 2023-24, Xhekaj scored three goals and added seven assists for 10 points in 44 games. His 125 hits were a team-high among Canadiens defensemen. He also had stints with the AHL’s Laval Rocket, producing three goals and 11 points in 17 games.
The six-foot-four rearguard played the majority of his two professional campaigns with the Habs, totaling eight goals and 23 points in 95 games. He was assessed 182 penalty minutes in the National Hockey League (NHL).
While he is confident that he will not need to change his playing style after his operations, he still wants to find the right balance between aggression and discipline.
“Obviously, it’s difficult [de trouver l’équilibre]he acknowledged. We have a young team, and there are times when I have to be there for others and make sure everyone is protected. I have to do it intelligently, find the right moments and the right matches. That comes with maturity. You learn, you play, and you start to understand when you can do certain things and when you can’t.”
Xhekaj’s rugged play may be an asset in establishing a regular spot in the lineup, but the fight will be fierce in training camp.
Nine defensemen who saw action with the team last season will be present at camp, in addition to prospect David Reinbacher, selected fifth overall in the 2023 draft by the Habs.
“There’s obviously a role for a guy like me,” Xhekaj said. “On a lot of teams, there’s a big role for a guy like me.”
“It’ll be fun,” he added of the competition. “There’ll be a lot of players, it’ll be fun to compete for your spot every night. You see teams having success with big defensemen, but everyone’s going to get a chance.”
Despite this battle, Xhekaj, who will be entering his third professional season, does not intend to be selfish. He will try to use his experience to help his teammates, for the good of the team.
“You’ve been here for two years, you have to be a leader for the younger guys,” he insisted. “You have to set the tone, you have to be a little more of a leader, especially on the blue line with prospects like Reinbacher and [Lane] Hutson. That’s the mentality I’ll have going into camp.”
Barron too
Barron, for his part, became a member of the Montreal organization when it obtained him from the Colorado Avalanche with a second-round pick in 2024 in return for Finnish forward Artturi Lehkonen on March 21, 2022.
Since then, the offensive-minded rearguard has collected 12 goals and 30 points in 92 games with the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge. Last season, he amassed seven goals and 13 points in 48 games with the Canadiens, as well as two goals and 11 points in 32 games in the American League.
For Barron, the key to success in securing a permanent spot on the Canadiens’ defensive brigade will be improving his defensive game.
“I need to be harder to play against,” Barron said. “Not just be more physical, but take away space in the corners and in front of the net. We’ve been focusing on that with the coaches in Montreal and Laval, a lot of work with the stick.”
Barron doesn’t seem to mind the competition at camp.
“We have a ton of young players. The future will be bright, but it will be healthy competition. That being said, I’m confident in my game.”