NHL Veteran Georges Laraque Urges Canadiens to Trade Arber Xhekaj
Photo credit: HTR
Following the team's most recent move, Georges Laraque has demanded that Arber Xhekaj be traded, adding to the recent flurry of trade rumors surrounding him.
Arber Xhekaj has made significant progress recently and continues to be a formidable physical threat in the NHL, even though he still has a lot of work to do as a regular defenseman. He has been in and out of the lineup for the first month of 2024-25, but he showed a lot more improvement in his game after Head Coach Martin St. Louis called him out.
The fact that he has now been scratched again seems to have been the final straw for former NHL enforcer Georges Laraque, who went on a tirade following the Canadiens' game against the Washington Capitals.
"If Xhekaj isn't playing against Washington, he's useless! Trade him! Xhekaj is going to be traded, forget it.. Look at the team the Canadiens are up against! McIlrath, Duhaime, and Tom Wilson.
If Xhekaj, even though we agree he could improve defensively; you're not using him in a game where you've got three guys who'll be physical, on the road, and make a difference.. Who will you use him against? Against the Ice Capades? This is the type of game where you need Xhekaj in the lineup, exactly!" - Georges Laraque
If Xhekaj, even though we agree he could improve defensively; you're not using him in a game where you've got three guys who'll be physical, on the road, and make a difference.. Who will you use him against? Against the Ice Capades? This is the type of game where you need Xhekaj in the lineup, exactly!" - Georges Laraque
Laraque makes a valid point when he says that his physicality and fighting are currently his only strong points. If you aren't going to use him in the lineup for those purposes or allow him to play and gain experience through patience and failure, then what's the point?
In the end, it's difficult to predict how much interest Xhekaj would receive in the league, but at least one team must be interested in signing him, and if they are, Montreal should move on.
| POLL | ||
2 NOVEMBRE | 101 ANSWERS NHL Veteran Georges Laraque Urges Canadiens to Trade Arber Xhekaj Should the Montreal Canadiens trade Arber Xhekaj? | ||
| Yes | 32 | 31.7 % |
| No | 69 | 68.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
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