Cap hit
$1.5M
1.4% of $104M cap
Term
1 yr
Through 2026-27, then RFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
—
arrives with the trade tools
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2026-27 regular season
GP
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
0 primary
Points
0
0.00 per game
TOI/GP
12:20
PP 0:00 · PK 1:29
xGF%
41.8
5v5, -3.5 vs. last yr
Game Score
-0.07
per game, goals above average
Faceoff %
—
Plus/minus
0
Blocks 1 · Hits 0
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 29 @ TOR · W 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12:20 | 0:00 | 1:29 | — | 100 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -0.07 |
| May 18 @ BUF · W 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:52 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | — | 1 | 0 | +1 | -0.00 |
| May 16 vs BUF · L 8-3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7:12 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.80 |
| May 14 @ BUF · W 6-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7:16 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.06 |
| May 12 vs BUF · L 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3:46 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.16 |
GS = our Game Score, goals above average. FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.
Advanced metrics
5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 714 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen
20th percentile
14th percentile
15th percentile
33rd percentile
49th percentile
36th percentile
18th percentile
12th percentile
74th percentile
16th percentile
31st percentile
9th percentile
29th percentile
85th percentile
xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.
Play stylePhysical shutdown defenseman
Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26
Xhekaj is a relentless, hard-nosed defender who wins battles through physicality and forechecking intensity. He struggles with puck skills and transitioning the play, making him best suited to defensive roles.
- Shooting volume
- 41
- Playmaking
- 20
- Zone entries(est.)
- 39
- Forechecking
- 100
- Physicality
- 99
- Defensive impact
- 80
- Puck management
- 27
- Speed
- 38
Where he shoots from
Slot 2% · Mid-range 20% · Perimeter 78%(64 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Forechecking ranks 100th percentile, constantly pressuring opponents
- Physicality at 99th percentile, dominates contact situations
- Defensive impact at 80th percentile, limits scoring chances
Watch-outs
- Playmaking at 20th percentile limits offensive contributions
- Puck management at 27th percentile, plays risky with the puck
- Speed at 38th percentile slows transition game
Similar style: Ethan Del Mastro (CHI), Brayden Pachal (CGY)
Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.
Where his Game Score comes from
2025-26 · 65 GP · goals above average
Season total -5.5 goals, or -0.08 per game.
- Even strength offense
- -1.1
- Even strength defense
- +0.1
- Finishing
- -0.5
- Playmaking
- -1.4
- Penalties
- -2.5
Game Score adds up a player's impact in goals compared with an average player given the same ice time: his share of expected goals for and against at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill, plus finishing (goals minus expected goals), primary assists, penalties drawn and taken, and faceoffs. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
By season
Regular season
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | SOG | TOI/GP | FO% | GS/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | MTL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12:20 | — | -0.07 |
| 2025-26 | MTL | 65 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -8 | 40 | 11:25 | — | -0.08 |
| 2024-25 | MTL | 70 | 1 | 5 | 6 | -13 | 69 | 14:37 | — | -0.12 |
| 2023-24 | MTL | 44 | 3 | 7 | 10 | +6 | 61 | 15:56 | — | -0.04 |
| 2022-23 | MTL | 51 | 5 | 8 | 13 | -9 | 75 | 15:16 | — | -0.05 |
Sentiment & chatter
Fans
—
Beat writers
—
Media
—
Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.
Age curve
How players at his position age, and where his contract falls on that curve, arrives with the trade tools.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2026-27, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 19.3 mph
- 31st pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 0
- Hardest shot
- —
- Distance
- 1.7 mi
- OZ time
- 38.1%
- 20th pct
- DZ time
- 46.2%