A new season and renewed hope

While I never gave up on this blog, I just couldn’t bring myself to write that much. How many ways are there to say “they suck?”

But this management for the Montreal Canadiens has renewed the faith of the fan base and of yours truly. It is just a matter of time before the Habs are able to turn the corner back to contention. It isn’t realistic to think they will do that this year, but they will do it soon often enough to make any fan of the team happy.

The next three years will bring a huge sea change to the conference that the Montreal Canadiens are in, and it feels as though they are targeting a timeline where three years from now they enter the competitive window. I’ll be happy to look forward at what I think what needs to be accomplished by this management team in the next 3 years to put it back into the race for the Coupe Stanley, but this is year 1. Two more to go after this.

Here is something I wrote in February:

Read more: A new season and renewed hope

“Xhekaj is a 21 year old playing in Junior—but it’s hard not to believe in him as a prospect. He is a loose-cannon-ticking time-bomb-no-holds-barred-take-no-prisoners-bordering-on-madman type of player and game changer. The kind of player that leaves no bone unbruised. If the team values dynamic players who will dominate physical aspects of the game, Xhekaj will be a front runner to make the roster.”

I don’t want to say I told you so, but I told you so. I watched the kid play in Kitchener and it couldn’t have been more obvious. He didn’t just fall through the cracks, I suspect he was unscouted. Its not like this came out of nowhere :

Related : the Wallop Heard Around Waterloo

No idea why, but I don’t think many if any even laid eyes on the kid last season. He got suspended some, and nearly got suspended for the year until a successful appeal. It wasn’t his fault, someone’s daddy got upset. BUT if that didn’t deter then there was an obvious package there. I loved his game so much that I was willing to put him ahead of every Canadien defensive prospect except Guhle this time last year and thats because I hadn’t seen Guhle play in person.

Is Xhekaj ready now? Ummmm. Not quite. He made the opening day roster, but I anticipate he will be sent down sometime soon. Everyone is seeing it though – his tool kit is so damn good. I think he needs a year in the AHL, and I think I’ll be in the minority on this view. His tools are mostly NHL calibre, he just needs to learn more about the professional side of the game and how to use his tools to greater effect. If he continues to make the sacrifices he has to this point in his career he will make those improvements (at least it sure looks like he will) and see a long and fruitful NHL career ahead of him. But lets hope it doesn’t take that much longer – he will be 22 in January. I think he makes the Habs as a regular next season.

The question will eventually be where he slots in the lineup. Time will tell, but I think he has a shot at the top pairing.

Time will tell.