Canadiens’ Arber Xhekaj fined for unsportsmanlike conduct on Maple Leafs’ Cedric Pare
The National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced Sunday that Montreal Canadiens’ defenseman Arber Xhekaj has been fined $3,385.42, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), for unsportsmanlike conduct on Toronto Maple Leafs’ forward Cedric Pare during their game on Saturday night.
Montreal’s Arber Xhekaj has been fined $3,385.42, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for unsportsmanlike conduct on Toronto’s Cedric Pare.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) September 29, 2024
The incident occurred midway through the first period after Pare made knee-on-knee contact with Canadiens’ forward Patrik Laine. Laine would stay down and require assistance getting off the ice.
Patrik Laine goes down after a knee-on-knee contact.
Doesn't look good. He had to leave the game. #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/cXrNTOzK4L
— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) September 28, 2024
Soon after Laine left the game, Xhekaj went after Pare, throwing several punches at the Maple Leafs’ forward while he was on the ice. Xhekaj was given a five-minute major for fighting, two minutes for instigating, a 10-minute misconduct and a game misconduct, giving him a total of 27 penalty minutes.
Arber Xhekaj unloads on Pare after he injured Laine. #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/lq75y4fMmN
— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) September 28, 2024
The 23-year-old Xhekaj played 44 games last season, scoring three goals and seven assists for 10 points, 81 penalty minutes, averaging 15:56 of ice time in 44 regular-season games. Through two NHL seasons, the 6-foot-4 defender has eight goals and 15 assists for 23 points and 182 penalty minutes in 95 career regular-season games.
The Canadiens went 30-36-16 with 76 points, last in the Atlantic Division and second-last in the Eastern Conference. Captain Nick Suzuki led the team in scoring with 33 goals and 77 points, while defenseman Mike Matheson led the team in both assists (51) and ice time (25:33). Meanwhile, 2022 No. 1 overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky finished his second NHL season with 20 goals and 30 assists for 50 points.