NHL Fines Canadiens Defenseman After Fight

A young Montreal Canadiens defenseman has been fined the maximum allowable amount under the CBA.

Sep 26, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Montreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj (72) warms up before playing the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images / Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

The 2024-25 NHL regular season hasn’t even started and the first fine has been handed out to Montreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj. The 23-year-old blue line was fined $3,385.42 for unsportsmanlike conduct against Toronto Maple Leafs forward Cedric Pare.

At 4:43 of the first period, Xhekaj was assessed a minor penalty and 10-minute misconduct for instigating, a major penalty for fighting, and a game misconduct. Xhekaj was handed 27 penalty minutes all at once.

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

Xhekaj may have been acting in retaliation to Pare for injuring Canadiens forward Patrik Laine with a knee-on-knee hit. Laine left the game in pain and did not return. He is continuing to be evaluated by the Canadiens and their training staff. Pare did not receive a penalty for the kneeing incident.

Xhekaj chased Pare down in the Canadiens’ zone and laid a beat down on the forward, who was not trying to fight back.

Over his first 95 games in the NHL, Xhekaj has made a name for himself as a bit of a tough guy. In 51 games during the 2022-23 season, he racked up 101 penalty minutes while scoring 13 points (5G-8A). Last year, he posted 81 penalty minutes in 44 games.

Between the NHL and American Hockey League, Xhekaj has gotten into 16 fights over the last two seasons.

The Canadiens like their young defenseman and see him as a key piece of their organization moving forward. He will likely start the season on the NHL roster and continue to fill that role of enforcer.

In 95 career games, Xhekaj has eight goals and 15 assists for 23 total points and 182 penalty minutes.

The $3,385.42 fine is the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement and the money goes to the NHL’s Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Make sure you bookmark Breakaway OnSI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more! 

• Blues Forward Could Be Answer in Top Six
• Insider Calls Out NHL After Numerous Injuries
• Injuries Have Redefined Ducks Goalie Situation
• Why Every NHL Team Is Watching Boston College This Year
• Canadiens Lose 2 Key Players to Injury