The NHL has fined Montreal Canadiens’ defenceman Arber Xhekaj $3,385.42 for unsportsmanlike conduct for his role in an on ice incident with Toronto’s Cedric Pare on Saturday. The amount is the maximum allowable under the current collective bargaining agreement.
Xhekaj took exception to a knee-on-knee hit from Pare which knocked Habs forward Patrik Laine out of the game earlier in the contest. The 23 year old was assessed a minor penalty, as well as a 10 minute misconduct for instigating, a 5 minute fighting, and a game misconduct at the 4:43 mark of the first period.
Pare wasn’t assessed a penalty for his hit on Laine, which instantly sent hockey fans into a frenzy on social media. Montreal fans were quick to point out the potentially long lasting impacts of such a hit on their newly acquired forward. Others however likened Xhekaj’s actions to the 2004 Todd Bertuzzi-Steve Moore incident which led to a massive suspension and subsequent lawsuit.
“I understand he’s gotta defend his teammates,” Pare said post-game of Xhekaj. “I wasn’t ready for that. It kind of caught me by surprise, but I know what he’s trying to do and I gotta face it.”
The Canadiens blue liner has never been suspended at the NHL level, which is likely why he was able to escape anything more than a fine. However, that hasn’t stopped observers from chastising the Department of Player Safety’s light handed approach.
Montreal fans have taken a decidedly different view of the matter, and have begun a GoFundMe drive to help fund The Angel Project, which is a charitable organization Xhekaj works with during the offseason.
Toronto would eventually go on to win the preseason contest 2-1. Montreal has yet to provide an update on Laine’s condition, though he’s believed to be undergoing additional imaging either Sunday or Monday once the swelling in his knee area subsides.
The Canadiens and Maple Leafs are set to open their regular season against one another Wednesday October 9th in Montreal. Whether Pare, a 25 year old journeyman, will be part of the Leafs opening night roster remains to be seen.
Photo: Maniacduhockey. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication