Nick Deslauriers drops Arber Xhekaj with a nasty uppercut

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj has been quite the story this season, having gone from working at Costco to play regular shifts in the NHL in a very short span.

However, it hasn't been all sunshine and rainbows for Xhekaj, who has found himself in a position where he's playing for his spot on the team on a night-to-night basis with the Habs' depth on defense becoming even more competitive thanks to the return of Mike Matheson from injury.

Xhekaj continues to do all of the little things to stay in the lineup, including occasionally dropping the gloves with the biggest and baddest NHL enforcers. On Saturday, however, it caught up to him as Flyers forward Nick Deslauriers caught him with a nasty uppercut towards the end of their scrap, which stunned Xhekaj and sent him down to the ice.

P.K. Subban Tees Off On Maple Leafs Fans in Heated Rant About Recent Behaviour

Disgruntled Leafs Defenseman Believed to Have Submitted an Informal Trade Request

Sheldon Keefe Denies the Maple Leafs Full Credit for Their Win with Puzzling Comment

Maple Leafs Face Interesting Wrinkle for the First Time in the Matthews, Marner, Nylander Era

Amazing Old Photos of a Young Steven Lorentz Surface After Scoring His First Goal as a Maple Leaf

Insider Reveals What he Believes is the Leafs' Walk-Away Number on a John Tavares Extension

Podcast Hosts Propose a Scenario in Which the Maple Leafs Turn Mitch Marner into Igor Shesterkin

Ex-Toronto Maple Leaf Has Embarrassing Moment Caught on Camera During Broadcast

Mitch Marner Reveals Advice He Gave Leafs Prospect Easton Cowan Before Returning to the OHL

The First Goal of the Maple Leafs' 2024-25 Season Scored by Unlikely Newcomer