Analyst Urges Canadiens to Trade Arber Xhekaj Ahead of Matchup With Washington Capitals
Georges Laraque was never one to shy away from a fight or speak his mind, and the analyst has targeted Arber Xhekaj hard ahead of the Canadiens' next game.
With constant discussion about whether or not Arber Xhekaj is going to remain a member of the Montreal Canadiens or not, all fans can hope for is that it won't be a distraction as the team tries to turn around their early seasons struggles. There's been a lot of drama that analysts and pundits have had a field day discussing.
Georges Laraque is one of those analysts, and he thinks that if Montreal has no place for Xhekaj against one of the dirtier and grittier teams in Washington, he needs to be gone:
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
Known first for his fists and now for his opinions, Laraque knows the trajectory of what it means to be an enforcer, and although he was around at a time when it was more feasible to see a team employ an enforcer; he knows that his role is still important especially against a team like Washington.
Xhekaj has found very limited playing time this season, due to both his role as an enforcer and his defensive liabilities. What he offers in terms of fighting, it's negated tenfold by his lack of ability in other areas of the game. A fan favorite in Montreal, fans will be upset to see Xhekaj go although it's more than likely they'd like a defenseman who will impact the game more than a couple of minutes a night.
If Georges Laraque has his way, he'll wake up tomorrow and Arber Xhekaj won't be on the roster. But it's not as simple as that, and while it would benefit Montreal to have their enforcer in the lineup, perhaps the best course of action is having a team that will shut down Washington and help lead to a win. Either way, it's going to be a discussion for the next few weeks.
| POLL | ||
Will Montreal trade Arber Xhekaj? | ||
| Yes | 169 | 51.1 % |
| No | 129 | 39 % |
| Released | 11 | 3.3 % |
| Minors | 22 | 6.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
