Canadiens Facing Key Decision Between Xhekaj and Struble: A Roster Crossroads with a Human Cost
When the Bell Centre erupts after a thunderous hit, it is often Arber Xhekaj who has supplied the moment — but beneath the cheers a quiet contest is unfolding for playing time and for identity, and at its center is struble, Xhekaj’s immediate rival for a spot on the left side.
Why Struble matters in the decision
Jayden Struble is described in the coverage as Xhekaj’s current main competition for nightly minutes. The choice between the two is not merely about hitting or toughness; it reflects what the coaching staff values in structure and reliability. The coaching staff has demonstrated concerns about trust in Xhekaj’s decision-making without the puck, and that caution has elevated the appeal of a steadier, more predictable option.
How Xhekaj’s minutes and prospects reshape the blue line
Arber Xhekaj’s arc is stark in the numbers available. Once averaging over 15 minutes a game across three seasons, he is now playing just over 11 minutes per game. His share of even-strength ice time fell from nearly 23% last season to 17. 6% this season; short-handed usage declined from about 15% to 4. 5%. He started roughly 84% of games in recent seasons but has seen a rise in games missed — from 12 missed games out of 82 last season to 14 missed games with 13 left to play this season.
Those shifts are not happening in isolation. The Canadiens have added Lane Hutson, Noah Dobson, and Alexandre Carrier to the defensive group, and established names such as Mike Matheson and Kaiden Guhle sit ahead in the pecking order for minutes. That constriction leaves essentially one spot for a left-handed shot like Xhekaj, and Struble must be considered in that context.
Below the NHL, development is accelerating. Adam Engström is having an exemplary season with the Laval Rocket, and David Reinbacher — the 2023 fifth-overall pick — is a right-handed prospect the organization views as a priority once NHL-ready. Reinbacher’s profile complicates matters further: his right-handed shot and high draft pedigree make him a natural target for early top-four minutes, which reshuffles the available openings on the left side.
What the Canadiens and Kent Hughes face this summer
General manager Kent Hughes confronts decisions that balance on-ice usage, contract status, and asset management. Xhekaj is set to become a restricted free agent, which forces a choice about investment versus return. The organization must weigh whether to retain Xhekaj’s unique physical dimension in hopes his defensive play matures, or to prioritize a steadier, more system-aligned defender in Struble and make room for high-ceiling prospects.
The human stakes are evident. Xhekaj’s journey from undrafted junior to NHL regular — including going undrafted in multiple NHL drafts, earning an invite to the Canadiens’ development camp in 2021 and signing an entry-level deal, a junior trade to his hometown Hamilton Bulldogs, an OHL championship and Memorial Cup All-Star recognition — has made him a fan favorite whose playing opportunities have dwindled. For Struble, the opportunity represents a different kind of pressure: to convert trust into consistent minutes and to justify the coaching staff’s deployment in structured situations.
Options on the table include keeping both and adjusting roles, using Xhekaj as a trade asset to acquire draft capital or a forward prospect, or leaning into younger puck-moving talent as they push for NHL readiness. Any path will alter locker-room dynamics, ice-time distributions, and the shape of next season’s defensive pairs.
Back at the Bell Centre, when the next big hit lands and the crowd roars, that instant will carry new meaning. It will no longer be only a moment of momentum but a reminder that for players like Arber Xhekaj and for competitors like struble, every shift can tilt a career — and that the summer’s decisions will decide who gets to supply those moments regularly.
