The Montreal Canadiens went into a rebuild after their Stanley Cup Finals appearance in 2021, and just five years later, this team behind an incredible young core is shaping up as one that could compete for many Stanley Cups over the next decade.
This off-season however, the team have been rather quiet, and while many expect them to still play a major role in a trade to acquire an experienced 2C at some point, as of right now, General Manager Kent Hughes has held back on making his big swing. That could still be coming however, and while moving one of his young defenseman won’t be that big swing, according to reports, one of their blue liners is drawing immense trade interest.
Canadiens’ Arber Xhekaj Drawing Trade Interest
GettyArber Xhekaj of the Montreal Canadiens.
In a recent report on the Leafs Morning Take show, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period was addressing the Canadiens, and in doing so, he noted that Montreal were getting plenty of calls on 25-year-old Arber Xhekaj. This wouldn’t be the first time that his name has come up in trade discussions, as there were plenty of rumors during the 2025/26 season that the team could look to move on from him after his role on the Canadiens blue line significantly diminished.
However, to this point, Montreal haven’t shown a willingness to move him, but with a defensive core that’s now locked in moving forward, there’s a good chance that this may be the time they finally decide to part ways with their formerly undrafted defenseman, who is currently an RFA without a contract for the 2026/27 season and beyond.
Should the Canadiens Keep Arber Xhekaj Moving Forward?
Perhaps the biggest reason to potentially move on from Xhekaj is the impending arrival of the talented David Reinbacher, who had 24 points in 57 games with the AHL’s Laval Rocket a year ago, and after Montreal used the No. 5 pick on him back in 2023, they will clearly want to get him into the lineup soon. Even before including Reinbacher, this is a team set up with a defensive core of Lane Hutson, Noah Dobson, Jayden Struble, Mike Matheson, Kaiden Guhle and Alexandre Carrier, and at this point, someone may need to go.
Last season, Xhekaj appeared in 65 games in Montreal, and once again, the impact on the scoresheet was minimal, but after 118 penalty minutes the year prior, he posted 116 this time, showing that while he may not score very much, he knows what his role within the organization is, and he plays it perfectly.
While teams, especially ones looking to compete in the Stanley Cup Playoffs need that type of presence in the lineup, he is one of the most limited players in the National Hockey League, and while it may depend on what is being offered to the Canadiens from teams that call, if he is available and can net them a valuable piece in return, this is a move that the front office need to seriously begin considering.
Canadiens Third-Year Defenseman Drawing Significant Trade Interest