Trade Pitch Has Maple Leafs Acquiring Fan-Favorite Defenseman From Rival

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been actively improving its blue line and a trade pitch has them acquiring a physical fan-favorite defenseman.

The website PuckPedia‘s PuckGM tool lets users create their own trades. One user proposed a deal that would see the Maple Leafs acquiring Arber Xhekaj from the Montreal Canadiens.

Maple Leafs acquire:

• Arber Xhekaj
• 2025 third-round pick (Vancouver’s)

Canadiens acquire:

• Nick Robertson
• Calle Jarnkrok

The proposed deal does make sense as Toronto adds more physicality to the blue line as well as getting a draft pick to use in a future deal. Montreal, meanwhile, gets two NHL forwards including a young one in Robertson who can play a top-six role.

Xhekaj is in the first year of a two-year $2.6 million deal. He could replace Conor Timmins and be in Toronto’s third-pairing. The fan-favorite defenseman adds physicality to the blue line while isn’t afraid to fight. Xhekaj has skated in 104 career games recording 8 goals and 15 assists for 23 points.

In return, the Maple Leafs would deal Robertson who has been the subject of trade rumors. The former second-round pick signed a one-year extension with Toronto this off-season but has remained on the trade block. In his NHL career, he’s skated in 97 games recording 18 goals and 17 assists for 35 points.

Jarnkrok, meanwhile, could be a third-line forward for Montreal and help add some offense to the bottom of the lineup. The forward is in the third year of his four-year $8.4 million deal. Jarnkrok has yet to play in a game this season due to an injury.

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Maple Leafs’ Robertson Remains a Candidate to be Traded

Robertson requested a trade this offseason but he ended up not being moved.

Now, after the first month of the season, Robertson has been a healthy scratch, and NHL insider Frank Seravalli said on Daily Faceoff Live that the forward remains a candidate to be traded.

“I’ve said it before, Leafs fans can continue to hate, or whatever it might be,” Seravalli said. “Nick Robertson was a healthy scratch this week and remains a candidate to be moved if the Leafs can find the right value in return for him. He’s been unable to be elevated in that Leafs lineup for any sustained period of time.

“So, when you look at their roster and you realize that the only player who is waiver exempt in that group is Matthew Knies, and he ain’t going anywhere,” Seravalli said. “That means the Leafs either need to waive players to make room for both (Hakanpaa/Dewar). Or they need to make a trade. Keep an eye on the Leafs. The other shoe has to drop on these guys if they are healthy on the other end of this conditioning stint.”

Robertson has played just 10 of Toronto’s 12 games this season. But, when he does play, he isn’t given a big role which is why his name remains on the trade block.

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Xhekaj Has Trade Interest Around The NHL

Montreal has plenty of young defensemen coming through the system which could put Xhekaj on the outside looking in.

If the Canadiens looked to deal Xhekaj, TSN NHL insider Darren Dreger spoke on TSN690, the Montreal radio station, and confirmed there would be trade interest in the defenseman.

“If Kent Hughes ever decided to put Arber Xhekaj on the trade block, there’d be double-digit teams interested in Arber Xhekaj…,” Dreger said. “The style of his game when he keeps it in check, he can be a very influential and very impactful player, I think the Canadiens believe that’s part of their future as well.”

Whether or not Montreal will trade Xhekaj is to be seen.

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