Let’s find out ‘NHL Center: Who Are Ice Hockey Player Arber Xhekaj Parents?’ Arber Xhekaj, a Canadian ice hockey player, is the child of Jack and Simona, two immigrants. The kid is presently a member of the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL.
While attempting to play minor hockey with the Hamilton Huskies, Xhekaj was well known for having a rather small physique. He was thus passed over in the 2017 Ontario Hockey League entry draft.
2018 saw the 21-year-old granted access to the Rangers’ training camp. Before the COVID-19 epidemic ended the 2020–21 season, he played in the OHL for two seasons after joining the club.
It was disheartening for his chances of entering the professional ranks as he was not chosen in either the 2020 or 2021 NHL drafts.
Nevertheless, before the NHL season of 2021–2022, he received another invitation to training camp, this time from the Montreal Canadiens.
Despite not being chosen, Xhekaj has proven over the first 11 games of this season that he belongs in the NHL.
He was not even selected in the OHL draft prior to playing for the Kitchener Rangers and Hamilton Bulldogs.
NHL Center: Who Are Ice Hockey Player Arber Xhekaj Parents?
Born on January 30, 2001, to his athletic parents Jack and Simona, Arber Xhekaj is one of the couple’s two kids. Hamilton, Ontario, is where he was born.
Jack, Xhekaj’s father, played soccer when he was younger. while Simona, his mother, played volleyball. Both of them lack hockey experience and aren’t scouts.
More than twenty years ago, they met in Hamilton’s Sheraton Hotel after being introduced by shared friends. Eventually, they fell in love, and as a result, they were gifted with Arber and Florian.
Arber’s mother is originally from Czechia, while his father, with whom he shares a name, is a resident of Kosovo. In the 1990s, his parents departed their home countries.
The 21-year-old talks proudly about how he grew up via his parents’ English accents because neither of his parents speaks the other’s native tongue.
In the Jr. Olympics, Xhekaj was selected for the St. Catharines Falcons. It was in the fall of 2017 that they first became aware of B GOJHL at the age of 16.
The team saw him to be more violent than other children his age at the Jr. Jr. and A B levels are frequently dominated by older, bigger, and stronger athletes.
Neither in the OHL nor the NHL, the 6-foot-4 Arber never had his name called during the draft. However, his parents never stop telling him not to quit up.
Simona, The Mother Of Arber Xhekaj, Is A Hradec Kralove Native
Simona, the mother of Arber Xhekaj, was born in the Czech city of Hradec Kralove. The NFL player visits the nation frequently every couple of summers.
With just one suitcase, Simona immigrated to Canada from the Czech Republic when she was in her 20s.
Xhekaj also holds Czech citizenship, thanks to his mother. If the opportunity ever arose, he would engage in professional playing or represent the nation abroad.
While the primary goal is to play in the NHL, Arber once said that he wouldn’t mind having backup options.
Simona was not as ecstatic about his rash decision to get a tattoo last year as she would have been if he had played for the Czech Republic.
Before getting the first part of an arm sleeve, Xhekaj remembered calling his mother, but she wasn’t thrilled with the idea.
To get his mother to accept it, he made an effort to draw something else that wasn’t too obvious.
He chose an arrow with the word “mom” next to it. Xhekaj mentioned that his mother is a strong woman he looks up to when talking about the inspiration for the final design.
Arber Xhekaj Father Jack Is From Albania Kosovar
Arber Xhekaj, a hockey player, is of Albanian descent because Jack was born in Albanian Kosovar.
When Jack was a young boy, Kosovo was in a precarious situation. In order to avoid being discovered, he had to sneak past checkpoints using fictitious passports that he had made up.
When Arber’s father Jack immigrated to Canada in the 1990s, his only material possessions were a single pair of shoes.
Since establishing himself as a dependable at-home defender, Xhekaj’s reputation has shifted more in favor of talking about his skills rather than his peculiar last name.
He consistently has the worst attendance record at school, and his teacher frequently asks him to say his name correctly. His father, who is Albanian, is responsible for his last name.
When he first arrived, his teammates in Kitchener referred to him as “X” or “X-Man,” while his friends back home called him “Arbs.”
Arber Xhekaj Brother Florian Xhekaj Signed To The Hamilton Bulldogs
Together with his younger brother Florian, Arber Xhekaj was raised. Growing up in Hamilton, Ontario, the two shared a special childhood.
In July 2022, Florian, his younger brother, signed a Standard Players Agreement with the Hamilton Bulldogs.
Arber also participated in his junior career with the same team, so Florian has followed in his older brother’s footsteps.
In the 2021–22 season, the junior Xhekaj (6’2”) made the transition to the junior division. With 17 goals and 23 assists for 40 points in 48 games as a rookie, he was the GOJHL’s leading scorer for the Pelham Panthers.
Florian, a powerful forward who can both score and pass the ball, is the team’s offensive catalyst. He will undoubtedly preserve Hamilton Bulldog pride.
