Under the dazzling arena lights, the tension in Montreal is electric—almost visible, crackling through the air like static before a storm. There’s a moment, frozen in time, when the camera pans past the Canadiens bench and lingers on a solitary figure: Arber Xhekaj, towering, broad-shouldered, unmistakable in his street clothes. He’s not lacing up his skates tonight. Instead, his gaze is fixed on the ice, jaw set, eyes burning with something deeper than disappointment. It’s the kind of look that doesn’t just speak—it shouts. But tonight, the story isn’t about the hits he’ll deliver or the penalties he’ll rack up. It’s about absence, and what that absence means.

As the crowd roars for the home team, a new narrative is quietly unfolding behind the scenes—one that’s as much about opportunity as it is about risk. Xhekaj, once the embodiment of physicality and grit for Montreal, now finds himself on the outside looking in, forced to watch as his spot on the blue line is handed to a rising Swedish star. Adam Engstrom, just 22, steps onto the ice with the kind of momentum that can shift the course of a season. And in the crease, another storyline takes shape: Jacob Fowler, the fresh-faced prospect, is about to face the biggest challenge of his young career, making his NHL debut under the watchful eyes of thousands.

But what led to this moment—a night of seismic change for the Canadiens? The answer isn’t simple, and it isn’t written in the stats alone. On paper, Xhekaj is every bit the defenseman Montreal should want: six-foot-four, 240 pounds, a contract locked in until 2026. Yet, as the season wears on, the numbers tell a different story: just one point in 25 games, a minus-6 rating, and a growing stack of penalty minutes. The coaching staff’s confidence is shifting, not just toward Engstrom, but toward a new generation of talent. Each game Xhekaj spends in the stands is another signal that the guard is changing—and that his role is slipping further from certainty.

Meanwhile, the drama in net is no less compelling. Samuel Montembeault, the seasoned veteran, finds himself relegated to backup as Fowler prepares to step into the spotlight. Montembeault’s contract promises security, but recent performances have exposed cracks in the foundation. Fowler’s stellar run in Laval—ten wins in fourteen games, a .919 save percentage—has forced the Canadiens’ hand. Tonight, the rookie’s gloves will be tested, and the pressure will be relentless.

Behind the statistics and the lineup changes, there’s a current of unease running through the organization. Articles about Jayden Struble’s emergence on defense are still fresh, and now Engstrom’s ascent adds another layer of uncertainty. The message to Xhekaj is brutal: no one’s spot is safe, and every night spent off the ice is a night closer to irrelevance.

Yet, despite the shifting tides, the bond between Xhekaj and the Montreal faithful remains unbroken. Fans still chant his name, still remember the thunderous hits and the fights that turned momentum. But tonight, the spotlight moves elsewhere—toward the promise of Fowler in net and the intrigue of Engstrom on the blue line.

What happens next for Arber Xhekaj? The answer lies in the shadows of the Bell Centre, where opportunity and risk collide, and where every shift could be the one that changes everything. The game is about to begin, and the story is far from over.

Photo of Arber Xhekaj and Martin St-Louis

Photo credit: All Montreal Hockey / NHL

The blow is a hard one for defenseman Arber Xhekaj: he is sitting out again tonight.

Thursday’s reports indicate a very clear scenario in the Canadiens’ net. Jacob Fowler will get his very first NHL start with the Canadiens, while Samuel Montembeault will serve as the backup.

In that same setup, it is Adam Engstrom entering the lineup and Xhekaj watching the game from the stands.

This is not the first time the defenseman has been pushed aside recently. During the Western road trip, he already had to give up his spot to the same Engstrom-sign that the coaching staff’s confidence is really starting to shift toward the Swede on the left side. On paper, Arber Xhekaj’s profile remains impressive. At 24 years old, the rugged 6-foot-4, 240-pound defenseman has only one point in 25 games this season, with a minus-6 rating and 51 penalty minutes.

Yet he is well secured under contract, with a two-year deal at 1.3 million per season that runs until 2026, when he becomes a restricted free agent.

On the other side, Adam Engstrom arrives with momentum that is hard to ignore. At 22 years old, the Swedish defenseman is coming off a 27-point season in 66 games with the Rocket and already has 16 points in 20 AHL games this year, which earned him a Player of the Week honor.

Arber Xhekaj versus Adam Engstrom

While Xhekaj puts on the scratch jersey again, Jacob Fowler is stepping toward the biggest test of his young career. In Laval this year, he has 10 wins in 14 games, a 2.14 goals-against average, and a .919 save percentage, with three shutouts.

Behind the scenes, Samuel Montembeault’s situation adds yet another layer to the story. The 29-year-old goalie, tied to the Canadiens for three seasons at 3.15 million per year, is coming off a 2024-2025 campaign with 31 wins, a 2.82 goals-against average, and a .902 save percentage, but this season he shows a 4-4-1 record with a 3.65 average and just .857 efficiency.

Seeing a prospect like Fowler get a start in this context is a reminder of how limited patience is for that position in Montreal.

For Xhekaj, the message is just as brutal. Articles discussing a changing of the guard with Jayden Struble on defense aren’t from long ago, and now Engstrom is added to the mix. With a contract ending in 2026 and a role that is increasingly unstable, number 72 can no longer afford several consecutive nights in the stands.

Still, the bond between fans and Xhekaj remains strong, and he is not erased from the club’s story by any means. But this Thursday, the spotlight will be on Fowler in net and on Engstrom at the blue line.

Here is a recap of the changes for tonight’s game:

– Jakub Dobes in the press box
– Arber Xhekaj out for Adam Engstrom
– NHL debut for Jacob Fowler
– Owen Beck replacing Jake Evans

It is now up to Arber Xhekaj to take advantage of the next call back into the lineup to reverse this trend, which becomes a little more evident each night his name appears on the sheet-but in the wrong column.