Legends and Alumni blast Canadiens over how the team is handling Arber Xhekaj

Montreal Canadiens fans got an unexpected glimpse into old school hockey thinking this week, and it didn't come from a press conference.

It came from a dinner table at a golf tournament.

The Canadiens legends who won it all in 1986 gathered ahead of the Serge Savard Invitational, and according to insiders, Arber Xhekaj's name came up more than once.

Several alumni believe the current roster needs more grit, and they weren't shy about saying so.

Serge Savard didn't hold back when asked about the parallels between his championship squads and the 2026 version.

He pointed out that two of Montreal's best players stand around five foot six or five foot seven, and he wants the team to make sure nobody gets away with pushing them around.

That's where Xhekaj comes in, and Savard reportedly wondered aloud why he isn't in the lineup more often.

Larry Robinson chimed in too, especially when it comes to Lane Hutson, who's been chasing several of Robinson's old offensive records from the blue line.

Robinson wants Hutson to keep using his hockey sense to stay out of trouble instead of absorbing hits from bigger bodies around the league.

Former captain Guy Carbonneau had nothing but good things to say about Nick Suzuki, who first wore the C in September 2022.

Suzuki just put up 101 points, the most by a Canadiens captain since Mats Naslund in 1986, while also taking home the Selke Trophy.

His contract remains a bargain for four more seasons, a stark contrast to the days when Savard says Boston's Harry Sinden called to complain about Patrick Roy's $3 million salary.

Whether toughness ends up mattering as much in 2026 as it did in 1986 remains to be seen, but Montreal's alumni clearly think it's worth watching closely this season.

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