On Saturday morning at the Bell Centre in Montreal, the media were given a team injury update that included Mike Matheson sidelined for an additional two weeks with a lower-body injury. This would certainly not be received as good news by the Montreal Canadiens. They have already been functioning without top-six forwards Nick Suzuki and Ivan Demidov . But a positive side effect is that the Canadiens will get another chance to see how some of their younger players step up in his absence.
Jayden Struble may have been dealt already, but that doesn't mean a free ride for Xhekaj. With the incredible depth of the Canadiens D group, the big man will have to continue to prove himself on a regular basis. With Mike Matheson sidelined, that means a lot of minutes to distribute, and Xhekaj should expect to see some of those minutes. He needs to string together some strong performances while Matheson is away. Arber Xhekaj needs to take advantage of opportunities he is given.
May 16, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj (72) celebrates with defenseman Kaiden Guhle (21) his goal against the Buffalo Sabres during the first period in game six of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
On Saturday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Xhekaj played 13:40, had an assist, and was a +1 in the plus/minus column. He was having a strong night until a bad clear in the second period became a turnover that ended up in the Canadiens net. Granted, he was under pressure from Sidney Crosby, and Xhekaj is a third-pair defender. It's not fair to expect mistake-free games from third-pair defenders. But if Xhekaj wants more ice time of a regular basis, he has to limit his errors and improve his decision making. With Mike Matheson sidelined, he has an opportunity to show he can do just that.
The first shoulder tap with Mike Matheson sidelined is Adam Engstrom. He played 10:58 of sheltered minutes against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night and had a clean night. He had two shots on goal and two shot shot attempts that were blocked. Engstrom has been the seventh defender in Montreal this season, and has played in eight games. He's looked good and on some teams he would be a regular.
Engstrom is the kind of player that is good to have around as a seventh defender. He can play both sides and is ready for a bigger role. But he's also the kind of player that is appealing to trade partners. With the Canadiens looking to improve their roster , this opportunity to expose Engstrom to other teams is useful.
The Montreal Canadiens did not make a call up from the Laval Rocket between the announcement of Mike Matheson sidelined and their game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night. There was no need with Engstrom already on the roster and the team playing at home. In the next two weeks, the Habs play six times, and only two of those games are on the road and in the Atlantic Division. They could, theoretically, manage without a call up.
While that might be the case, the situation might be one the Canadiens make use of to give David Reinbacher another taste of NHL action.
The news of Mike Matheson sidelined is not welcomed by the Montreal Canadiens. He has been a minute-muncher for the Habs, and they will miss his presence in the line-up. The good news for Montreal is that they have incredible depth in their defence group, and have a friendly schedule for the two weeks Matheson is away, playing four of six games at home. Still, the opportunity is there for depth players to step up and get noticed. The Canadiens need them to effectively fill a gap, but if they use the opportunity wisely, they can prove themselves indispensable.
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Main Photo Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
