Arber Xhekaj Bio
Arber Xhekaj (born January 30, 2001) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who plays as a defenceman for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing roughly 240 pounds, he is known for his physical presence and aggressive style of play. Originally undrafted by NHL teams, he signed with Montreal as an unrestricted free agent in October 2021 and made his NHL debut in 2022.
Early Life and Background
Arber Xhekaj was born on January 30, 2001, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He grew up in a tight-knit household shaped by his parents’ immigrant backgrounds. His father, Jack, is Albanian from Drenas, Kosovo, while his mother, Simona, is from Hradec Králové, Czech Republic. Both parents left their home countries during the political upheaval of the 1990s and first met at a hotel in Hamilton.
He first played organized minor ice hockey with the Hamilton Huskies of Alliance Hockey, where he was known for having a slighter frame compared to many of his peers. He also has a younger brother, Florian, who later entered the Canadiens organization and was selected 101st overall by Montreal in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
Path to Hockey
Because of his lighter build, Xhekaj went unselected in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) 2017 Priority Selection draft, an experience he later called pretty tough. He briefly considered ending his hockey career before being encouraged to continue by his parents. He joined the St. Catharines Falcons of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL), where his play caught the attention of the Kitchener Rangers.
Although Xhekaj was not drafted in his second year of major junior eligibility, he earned an invitation to the Rangers’ training camp in 2018 and made the roster. He played two OHL seasons with Kitchener before the 2020–21 season was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. During that period, he worked at a Costco in the Hamilton area to stay busy while games were paused.
Arber Xhekaj Career
Early Career (2018–2022)
After establishing himself with the Kitchener Rangers in the OHL, Xhekaj built a reputation as a dangerous defenceman. The Hockey News described him as a player who effectively blended the old-school enforcer with the modern-day defensive blueliner. He was suspended twice during one fall stretch, once for a slew foot and once for a gesture after a fight, and earned the nickname the Sheriff among teammates.
Midway through the 2021–22 OHL season, he was traded to the Hamilton Bulldogs, his hometown team. He helped Hamilton win the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL champions and played in the 2022 Memorial Cup, where the Bulldogs reached the championship game before losing to the host Saint John Sea Dogs. Xhekaj was named to the Memorial Cup All-Star Team for his play.
Montreal Canadiens Breakthrough (2022–2023)
Following two seasons of going unselected in the NHL Entry Draft, Xhekaj received a training camp invitation from the Montreal Canadiens ahead of the 2021–22 season. His performance impressed the organization, and on October 4, 2021, he signed a three-year, entry-level contract as an undrafted free agent. He returned to junior to finish the OHL season before turning professional.
With injuries opening spots on the blue line, Xhekaj made Montreal’s opening night roster for the 2022–23 NHL season. He debuted on October 12, 2022, becoming the first player in NHL history with a surname beginning with the letter X. Teammates gave him the playful nickname Wi-Fi because his name resembled a default internet router password. He recorded his first NHL point, an assist, on October 15 versus the Washington Capitals, and won his first NHL fight against Arizona Coyotes forward Zack Kassian. Xhekaj scored his first NHL goal on October 22, 2022, in a 5–2 loss to the Dallas Stars, also adding an assist that night.
His rookie season was cut short on February 12, 2023, when he suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery. In 51 games, he recorded five goals and eight assists and led the team in penalty minutes with 101.
Montreal Canadiens Era (2023–Present)
Xhekaj returned for the start of the 2023–24 NHL season but sustained an upper-body injury on November 17, 2023, missing seven games. After reactivation, the Canadiens assigned him to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Laval Rocket, to work on his defensive game. He was paired with rookie defenceman Logan Mailloux and posted three goals and eight assists in 17 AHL games before being recalled to Montreal on January 22, 2024. His second NHL season ended on April 9, 2024, when he underwent season-ending shoulder surgery. He finished 2023–24 with three goals and seven assists in 44 games with the Canadiens.
As a restricted free agent, Xhekaj was tendered a qualifying offer on June 30, 2024, and signed a two-year, $2.6 million contract extension a month later. During the 2024–25 preseason, he was fined for unsportsmanlike conduct after an incident with Toronto Maple Leafs forward Cédric Paré on September 29, 2024. He skated in his 100th career NHL game on October 17, 2024, and earned praise for his play throughout the season before being scratched for Montreal’s final five regular-season games during their push for a 2025 Stanley Cup playoff spot. He made his NHL playoff debut on April 25, 2025, during Montreal’s first-round series against the Washington Capitals.
Driving Style and Strengths
Although defencemen are not typically described as drivers, Xhekaj plays with a power-forward mentality from the back end. He uses his 6-foot-4 frame to win battles along the boards, finishes checks with authority, and is willing to drop the gloves when needed. He also contributes offensively, using a hard shot from the point and joining the rush when openings appear, which has allowed him to produce points in limited minutes.
Notable Events and Milestones
Xhekaj’s NHL debut on October 12, 2022, made him the first NHL player whose surname begins with the letter X. His first NHL goal came on October 22, 2022, against the Dallas Stars, and he reached 100 career NHL games on October 17, 2024. His 2025 playoff debut against the Washington Capitals added another milestone to a still-young career defined by physical play and resilience through injuries.
Arber Xhekaj Career Wins
Across his junior and professional career, Arber Xhekaj has accumulated several verified wins and achievements. His biggest team win to date is the 2022 J. Ross Robertson Cup with the Hamilton Bulldogs, which earned him a spot on the Memorial Cup All-Star Team.
OHL and Memorial Cup Highlights
After joining the Hamilton Bulldogs midway through the 2021–22 OHL season, Xhekaj helped the team capture the J. Ross Robertson Cup as Ontario Hockey League champions. He then represented Hamilton at the 2022 Memorial Cup tournament, where the Bulldogs advanced all the way to the championship game before falling to the host Saint John Sea Dogs. His strong performance throughout the event earned him a place on the Memorial Cup All-Star Team.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond team championships, Xhekaj has produced solid individual results in both the NHL and AHL. As a rookie with the Canadiens in 2022–23, he posted five goals and eight assists in 51 games and led the team with 101 penalty minutes, numbers that underscored his mix of toughness and offensive contribution from the blue line.
Arber Xhekaj Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Xhekaj comes from a multicultural family rooted in European immigration to Canada. His father, Jack, was born in Drenas, Kosovo, and his mother, Simona, was born in Hradec Králové, Czech Republic. Both parents fled political conflict in the 1990s and eventually met at a hotel in Hamilton, Ontario, where Arber was later born and raised.
Personal Life
He has a younger brother, Florian Xhekaj, who also plays hockey and is part of the Montreal Canadiens organization. Florian was drafted 101st overall by the Canadiens in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Beyond this, Xhekaj keeps his personal life largely private.
2025 Season Performance
The 2024–25 NHL season represented an important step forward for Arber Xhekaj with the Montreal Canadiens. He skated in his 100th career NHL game on October 17, 2024, and continued to be a regular presence on the blue line, earning praise from coaches and media for his physical, stay-at-home defensive play paired with timely offensive contributions.
Despite his strong regular-season play, Xhekaj was a healthy scratch for Montreal’s final five regular-season games during the team’s push for a 2025 Stanley Cup playoff berth, reportedly due to performance errors during the closing stretch. He did not play in the opening games of the Canadiens’ first-round playoff series against the Washington Capitals but was eventually inserted into the lineup and made his NHL playoff debut on April 25, 2025.
Heading into the remainder of the 2025 playoffs, Xhekaj remains under contract with Montreal through the 2025–26 season following his two-year extension. His role with the Canadiens going forward will likely depend on his ability to refine his defensive game while maintaining the physical edge that has defined his young NHL career.
