Montreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj is making a name for himself during these NHL playoffs—but you might not know how to say it.

With his physical, hard-hitting style of play, Xhekaj has become impossible to ignore. Just ask Sabres center Sam Carrick, who felt the brunt of it with a punch after the final buzzer—a play that earned Xhekaj a fine and plenty of attention.

But here's the thing: his name isn't pronounced the way it looks. And honestly, it's not an easy guess.

Xhekaj hails from Hamilton, Ontario, but his last name has Russian roots. The first time you hear a broadcaster say it while watching him skate with "Xhekaj" on the back of his sweater, it can be a bit jarring. That's because the "X" is silent, and the rest of the name comes out as "JACK-eye"—two syllables that don't quite match the spelling.

It's not an Anglicized name, so it follows its native pronunciation. The Hamilton Spectator once ran a story with the headline, "You may not know how to pronounce Xhekaj now. But you will." And these playoffs, the entire hockey world is learning exactly that.

Whether you're a Canadiens fan or just love the grit of playoff hockey, Xhekaj is a name worth remembering—and now you know how to say it right.