Arber Xhekaj Bio
Arber Xhekaj is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who plays as a defenceman for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). Born on January 30, 2001, in Hamilton, Ontario, Xhekaj signed with the Canadiens as an undrafted free agent in October 2021, after going unselected in two consecutive NHL Entry Drafts. He stands 193 cm tall and weighs 109 kg, and has quickly become known for combining an aggressive, physical defensive style with steady offensive contributions.
After making his NHL debut in October 2022, Xhekaj became the first player in league history to have a surname beginning with the letter X. His hard-hitting play and willingness to drop the gloves earned him the nickname “the Sheriff” in junior hockey and the playful moniker “Wi-Fi” in the Canadiens locker room. In only a few seasons, he has established himself as a fan favourite in Montreal and a central piece of the team’s young defensive core.
Early Life and Background
Arber Xhekaj was born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario, to parents of Albanian and Czech heritage. His father, Jack Xhekaj, is Albanian and originally from Drenas, Kosovo, while his mother, Simona, was born in Hradec Králové, in the Czech Republic. Both of his parents left their native countries in the 1990s during periods of political conflict and eventually met at a hotel in Hamilton, where they started their family. Arber grew up alongside a younger brother, Florian, who has followed him into professional hockey within the Montreal Canadiens organization.
As a youth, Xhekaj played minor ice hockey with the Hamilton Huskies of Alliance Hockey. Although he was skilled, he was known for having a comparatively slight frame, and, as a result, he was not selected in the Ontario Hockey League 2017 Priority Selection draft. He was one of only two eligible players on his Hamilton Huskies team that year who went undrafted, an experience he later called “pretty tough.” At one point he even considered ending his hockey career, but his parents encouraged him to keep going.
During the cancellation of the 2020–21 Ontario Hockey League season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Xhekaj worked at a Costco in the Hamilton area to stay busy while awaiting the return of competitive hockey.
Path to Hockey
After going unselected in the OHL Priority Selection, Xhekaj joined the St. Catharines Falcons of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL), where his play drew the attention of the Kitchener Rangers’ scouting staff. Although he was not drafted in his second year of major junior eligibility, the Rangers invited him to their 2018 training camp. He made the roster and spent two seasons in the OHL with Kitchener before the pandemic halted the 2020–21 season.
Despite his steady development in major junior, Xhekaj went unselected in both the 2020 and 2021 NHL Entry Drafts. He was then invited to the Montreal Canadiens’ training camp ahead of the 2021–22 NHL season, and his performance impressed the team’s management. On October 4, 2021, he signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Canadiens as an undrafted free agent, beginning his professional career.
Arber Xhekaj Career
Junior Career (2018–2022)
During his two seasons with the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League, Xhekaj built a reputation as a dangerous, hard-nosed defenceman. The Hockey News described him as having “effectively blended the old-school enforcer with the modern-day defensive blueliner.” He was suspended twice in the fall of 2021, once for a slew-foot and once for a gesture made after a fight, and was suspended twice in the fall, incidents that reflected his aggressive style of play. Among his Rangers teammates, he earned the nickname “the Sheriff.”
Midway through the 2021–22 season, Xhekaj was traded to his hometown-based Hamilton Bulldogs. Joining a highly touted Bulldogs squad, he participated in their J. Ross Robertson Cup victory in the 2022 OHL playoffs and then played in that year’s Memorial Cup tournament. Hamilton advanced all the way to the championship game before being defeated by the host Saint John Sea Dogs. For his performance, Xhekaj was named to the Memorial Cup All-Star Team.
NHL Breakthrough with the Montreal Canadiens (2022–2023)
Entering the Canadiens’ 2022 training camp, Xhekaj was initially considered more likely to begin the year with the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Laval Rocket, but he continued to stand out in rookie tournament and preseason play. With injuries to veteran defencemen Mike Matheson and Joel Edmundson, roster openings appeared, and on October 10, 2022, it was confirmed that Xhekaj had made Montreal’s opening night roster.
Making his NHL debut on October 12, 2022, Xhekaj became the first player in NHL history to have a surname beginning with the letter X. His teammates gave him the nickname “Wi-Fi” because the spelling of his last name was jokingly compared to a default internet router password. He picked up his first NHL point, an assist, on October 15 against the Washington Capitals, and shortly afterward won his first NHL fight against Arizona Coyotes forward Zack Kassian, one of the league’s most established enforcers.
On October 22, Xhekaj scored his first NHL goal in a 5–2 loss to the Dallas Stars, adding an assist in the same game. His debut season ended on February 12, 2023, when he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. In 51 games with the Canadiens, he recorded five goals and eight assists and led the team in penalty minutes with 101.
Montreal Canadiens Era (2023–Present)
Resuming play to start the 2023–24 season, Xhekaj once again sustained an upper-body injury on November 17, 2023, missing seven games. After being reactivated in early December 2023, the Canadiens assigned him to the Laval Rocket for part of the AHL season, where he was asked to focus on his defensive game. He was paired with rookie defenceman Logan Mailloux, and the duo played a key role in the Rocket’s surge up the league standings. After 17 AHL games, in which he recorded three goals and eight assists, Xhekaj was recalled to Montreal on January 22, 2024. His season ended on April 9, when it was announced he would undergo surgery for an injury suffered against the Tampa Bay Lightning on April 4. In 44 NHL games that year, he posted three goals and seven assists.
As a restricted free agent following the 2023–24 season, Xhekaj was tendered a qualifying offer by the Canadiens on June 30, 2024, and a month later signed a two-year, $2.6 million contract extension. During the 2024–25 preseason, he was involved in an incident with Toronto Maple Leafs forward Cédric Paré on September 29, 2024, and was assessed a fine for unsportsmanlike conduct by the NHL Department of Player Safety. He skated in his 100th career NHL game on October 17, 2024, and his performances drew praise through much of the year, though errors during Montreal’s closing push for the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs led to him being scratched for the team’s final five regular-season games. He remained out of the lineup at the start of Montreal’s first-round playoff series against the Washington Capitals but made his NHL playoff debut in Game 3 on April 25, 2025.
Driving Style and Strengths
Although defencemen in hockey are not described in racing terms, Xhekaj’s on-ice profile is built around a powerful 193 cm, 109 kg frame, a willingness to engage physically, and an ability to deliver clean hits while still contributing offensively. He pairs his old-school enforcer mentality with the skating and passing skills of a modern blueliner, allowing him to log meaningful minutes in all situations for the Canadiens.
Notable Events and Milestones
Xhekaj’s most notable milestones include becoming the first NHL player with a surname starting with the letter X, scoring his first NHL goal against the Dallas Stars in October 2022, and being named to the Memorial Cup All-Star Team in 2022. He also played his 100th career NHL game on October 17, 2024, and made his NHL playoff debut on April 25, 2025.
Arber Xhekaj Career Wins
Because professional hockey players’ careers are measured in goals, assists, points, and team championships rather than individual race wins, Arber Xhekaj’s career achievements are best counted by his major trophies, milestones, and statistical accomplishments. He has captured the J. Ross Robertson Cup as a member of the Hamilton Bulldogs and has been recognized individually with selection to the Memorial Cup All-Star Team. He has also established several league firsts, including being the first NHL player whose surname begins with the letter X.
OHL and Memorial Cup Highlights
In the Ontario Hockey League, Xhekaj is best remembered for his time with the Hamilton Bulldogs, with whom he won the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL champions during the 2022 OHL playoffs. He then represented Hamilton at the 2022 Memorial Cup, where the Bulldogs advanced to the championship game before falling to the host Saint John Sea Dogs. Xhekaj’s strong play at that tournament earned him a place on the Memorial Cup All-Star Team.
Other Performances
Beyond his OHL and Memorial Cup success, Xhekaj has posted respectable offensive numbers at both the AHL level with the Laval Rocket and the NHL level with the Montreal Canadiens. In his first NHL season he recorded five goals and eight assists in 51 games, and he added three goals and seven assists in 44 games the following year, while leading the Canadiens in penalty minutes during his rookie campaign.
Arber Xhekaj Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Arber Xhekaj comes from a multicultural family rooted in Hamilton, Ontario. His father, Jack Xhekaj, is Albanian and originally from Drenas, Kosovo, while his mother, Simona, is from Hradec Králové, in the Czech Republic. Both of his parents emigrated from their home countries in the 1990s during periods of political conflict and first met at a hotel in Hamilton. Arber’s younger brother, Florian, is also a hockey player in the Montreal Canadiens organization and was selected 101st overall by the Canadiens in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
Personal Life
Outside of hockey, Xhekaj is known for keeping a relatively private personal life. He spent part of the COVID-19 pandemic working at a Costco in the Hamilton area, an experience that has been frequently cited as a sign of his grounded upbringing. Public information about his marital status, spouse, or children has not been disclosed.
2025 Season Performance
Arber Xhekaj entered the 2024–25 NHL season on a two-year, $2.6 million contract extension signed in the summer of 2024, and he was a regular in the Montreal Canadiens’ lineup for most of the year. He played his 100th career NHL game on October 17, 2024, and his physical, hard-hitting style continued to make him a polarizing but popular figure at the Bell Centre.
Although his play drew praise for long stretches of the season, mistakes during Montreal’s late-season push for a 2025 Stanley Cup playoff berth led the coaching staff to scratch Xhekaj for the team’s final five regular-season games. He was also held out of the lineup for the opening games of the Canadiens’ first-round playoff series against the Washington Capitals, before finally making his NHL playoff debut in Game 3 on April 25, 2025.
Looking ahead, Xhekaj remains a key part of Montreal’s young core, and his combination of size, toughness, and offensive upside makes him a central figure in the Canadiens’ long-term plans. With the 2025 playoffs serving as his first taste of postseason action, the upcoming seasons will be an important opportunity for him to refine the defensive side of his game while continuing to deliver the physical presence that has defined his career to this point.