NHL reaches suspension verdict for Arber Xhekaj's dirty hit on Tim Stutzle
Insider Eric Engels has confirmed the fate of Arber Xhekaj following his late hit on Tim Stutzle during last night's preseason game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Ottawa Senators.
The Canadiens have had a rough preseason, losing key players to injury. Patrik Laine is out for two to three months after a questionable hit by Pare in a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and David Reinbacher also suffered a long-term injury that will sideline him for five to six months.
In last night's game, things didn't start well either. Kirby Dach, who missed the entire 2023-24 season due to a major injury, was hit dangerously in the head by Ridly Greig. Dach left the game but returned to confront Greig, even dropping the gloves in a fight.
You can view video of the fight between Kirby Dach and Ridly Greig here!
Before Dach could retaliate, Xhekaj stepped in. Greig had been avoiding responsibility for his hit, so Xhekaj took matters into his own hands. He delivered a hit on Tim Stutzle that took him out of the game and also fought Brady Tkachuk.
You can view the Xhekaj's hit on Stutzle as well as his short fight with Tkachuk here.
Fans were curious if Xhekaj would face punishment for the hit, but according to Eric Engels, he won't be receiving any further consequences from the NHL. Engels shared the update on X:
More details to follow.
