It was one of those nights in Montreal when the city’s heartbeat seemed to echo within the walls of the Bell Centre—a pulse of anticipation, disappointment, and raw, unfiltered emotion. The cold December air pressed against the glass, and inside, thousands of eyes followed a singular figure gliding across the ice: Arber Xhekaj, the Canadiens’ enigmatic defenseman, number 72. Under the bright arena lights, his skates sliced through the third period, puck in tow, as if he were carving his own path through a storm of expectations.

But something was different. You could feel it in the crowd’s uneasy silence, in the way the cameras lingered just a moment longer on Xhekaj’s face after each shift. There was a tension—unspoken, electric—between the fans and their “Sheriff.” For years, Arber Xhekaj has been the embodiment of old-school grit, the kind of player who brings a sense of wild unpredictability to every game, a throwback to an era when defensemen ruled with their fists as much as their sticks. Yet, as the clock ticked down against the Ottawa Senators, a new narrative was quietly unfolding, one that would soon explode into the public eye.

On the ice, Xhekaj looked like a man with a secret. He skated hard, made his checks, but there was a restraint—a subtle hesitation—that rippled through his play. The Senators pressed, the Canadiens faltered, and the night ended not with the roar of victory, but with the heavy silence of another defeat. In the aftermath, the press room buzzed with questions, as head coach Martin St. Louis faced a barrage of inquiries about his defensive corps. His answers were clipped, his patience thin, yet beneath his words lay a story that was bigger than a single game.

Off the ice, however, the real drama was just beginning. The city’s sports talk shows lit up with speculation, none more pointed than the segment on BPM Sports, where former Canadiens defenseman Gilbert Delorme delivered a message that would reverberate far beyond the rink. His words were sharp, even brutal—a verdict rendered in real time, with the kind of finality that can only come from someone who has lived the highs and lows of Montreal hockey. Delorme’s statement, uttered with the conviction of a man who knows the cost of fading glory, sent shockwaves through the fanbase. But what exactly did he say? And, more importantly, what does it mean for the future of Arber Xhekaj?

Is this the beginning of the end for Montreal’s Sheriff, or is it simply another chapter in the long, unpredictable saga of a player who refuses to fit the mold? The answers aren’t simple, and the truth may be more complicated—and more sensational—than anyone expects. As the Canadiens’ blue line grows crowded with young talent, and the spotlight intensifies on every move Xhekaj makes, one question hangs in the air like breath on a winter night: What happens when a hockey city’s hero stops playing by its unwritten rules?

Read on, because what happened after Tuesday’s loss—and what was said in the shadows—could change everything you think you know about Arber Xhekaj, the Montreal Canadiens, and the unforgiving nature of professional hockey.

Dec 2, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj (72) skates away with the puck against the Ottawa Senators during the third period at Bell Centre.

Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

The play of defenseman Arber Xhekaj continues to stir discussion in the media, and in the last few minutes, there was a major segment about him on the airwaves of BPM Sports.

On Tuesday night, following another difficult loss at the Bell Centre, this time against the Ottawa Senators, Martin St. Louis was once again repeatedly questioned about his defensemen, and of course specifically about Xhekaj. Let’s just say he had a very short fuse and was extremely curt in his answers.

“I’m disappointed the way our team defended tonight.” – Martin St-Louis

That said, he still mentioned that he trusts the judgment of his rugged young defenceman when it comes to dealing with a troublemaker like Kurtis MacDermid.

“Three years ago, I would have these conversations with Arber. I think he’s figured it out. I trust him.” – MSL

If there’s one person who did not appreciate how Arber Xhekaj behaved Tuesday night, it’s former Montreal Canadien (now BPM Sports host) Gilbert Delorme. Let’s just say he did not mince his words when describing what happened with Xhekaj.

A serious message from Gilbert Delorme to Arber Xhekaj following the game against the Ottawa Senators

He seems to believe Xhekaj has no usefulness left for this team.

“The Sheriff doesn’t drop the gloves anymore!

It’s the end of his career in Montreal!”

– Gilbert Delorme, on Arber Xhekaj refusing to drop the gloves against Kurtis MacDermid.

Do you agree with him? Do you believe Arber Xhekaj’s career with the Montreal Canadiens is coming to an end?

Personally, I will always sincerely want the team to find a role for a true throwback like Xhekaj, but it’s obvious that in the medium term – with Mike Matheson, Noah Dobson, Kaiden Guhle, Lane Hutson, Alexandre Carrier, David Reinbacher, Adam Engstrom, and others – it could become more difficult for him to break into the top six on defence.

That said, he is absolutely capable of doing it!