Alright, let’s dive into the hockey hodgepodge with some zest. Apparently, the Philadelphia Flyers are just one of the many squads ogling Montreal’s burly blueliner, Arber Xhekaj. The gent’s a bonafide brawling behemoth, with an NHL presence as subtle as a sledgehammer at a tea party. It’s no wonder every team and their grandmother want a piece—this dude’s racked up one hundred forty-eight penalty minutes in the big league. That’s in, like, sixty-eight games! Plus, he’s already thrown down the gauntlets five times this season. Is it hockey, or has the WWE invaded the rink?
But wait, there’s more to this tough cookie. Amidst enforcing his personal no-fly zone, Xhekaj managed to sneak in 11 points down in the AHL, and he’s notched up three points with Montreal, too. Not bad for a guy who skated right past the draft without a glance. He just waltzed into Montreal’s training camp back in 2021, schmoozed his way into a three-year contract worth a cool $2.5 million, and has been flexing his muscles ever since.
Speaking of worth, let’s gab about Gabriel Vilardi, who’s teetering on the edge of playing for the Winnipeg Jets against the mighty Boston Bruins. Coach Rick Bowness is playing “will he/won’t he” with Vilardi’s game status. Although he’s been playing hide-and-seek with the lineup this season, when this guy shows up, he shows out—with 11 goals and 20 shiny points. If he’s MIA come game time, Axel Jonsson-Fjallby’s probably up to bat, sitting pretty with his own collection of five points.
And for a hit of reality, we’ve got Chaz Lucius, the Jets’ bright-eyed prospect who’s getting a less-than-spiffy stamp on his season—canceled, due to ankle surgery. Can’t catch a break, this kid, except, well, you know, literally. In the past three seasons, Lucius has been more on the injured list than on the ice, clocking in at a mere 59 games. But don’t cry over spilled milk; before kissing the season goodbye, he tallied up 13 points in 17 games in the minors. Here’s to hoping his ankle gets its act together and he comes back next year ready to leave some jaws on the floor.