The Montreal Canadiens are exploring commerce choices as they attempt to fight their underwhelming begin to the 2024-25 season. Basic Supervisor Kent Hughes has begun reaching out across the league, gathering data on potential trades, in keeping with Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic. Frank Seravalli experiences the group is checking costs so as to add a top-four, right-shooting defenseman. Pleased with their long-term prospects on the blue line, Hughes is discovering out it’s costly to land a stopgap answer.
Nevertheless, Hughes can be cautious about parting with future belongings, focusing as a substitute on salary-matching trades that received’t jeopardize the group’s long-term plans.
As for who that may be, Arber Xhekaj‘s title has come up, along with his $1.3 million cap hit being one which the Canadiens may be keen to half with.
With the Canadiens at present on the backside of the Atlantic Division and second-last within the Jap Convention with a 2-4-1 file, strain is mounting for the group to take the step many anticipated they may this season. Whereas the preliminary objective was to contend for a playoff spot, inside expectations have shifted, with a realization that the group won’t be the place it must be but.
A few of that isn’t on the Canadiens, who have been hit with an unlucky harm to Patrik Laine earlier than the season started. Whereas Laine won’t have been the distinction between making the postseason and never making it, his harm set the group off on the unsuitable foot to begin the 2024-25 marketing campaign. They could want a deal to spark them again into taking part in higher than they’ve proven.
The Canadiens do have some LTIR house as a result of Carey Value‘s contract and Laine’s scenario, and if there’s an urge for food to do one thing, they may. That stated, panicking and making an enormous deal won’t be one of the best for a group that’s nonetheless retooling and rebuilding.
Conversations with different groups point out that Hughes is being proactive in making an attempt to make a deal. LeBrun famous, “I don’t assume there’s something imminent for Montreal, however I feel it’s noteworthy that the Habs aren’t simply sitting there and saying, ‘Oh properly, we’re off to a gradual begin, that’s life.’” Who he’s focusing on or what he’s dangling isn’t clear.
Different GMs have already famous that the market isn’t providing up a lot, and LeBrun echoed that sentiment. With most groups not prepared to begin wheeling and dealing, the Canadiens might need to supply up one thing intriguing that different GMs may be inquisitive about.
One participant incessantly talked about in commerce rumors is defenseman Arber Xhekaj, whose bodily play and grit have made him a fan favourite. He’s polarizing within the Montreal market, however his potential commerce worth may very well be leveraged to amass a talented ahead or bolster the group’s scoring depth. Shifting Xhekaj can be a troublesome choice given his recognition and influence on the ice.
LeBrun experiences that any deal needs to be wage in, wage out. If true, Xhekaj’s contract isn’t precisely large enough to land a difference-maker for the Habs. Which may rule him out of any commerce talks, assuming the Canadiens are inquisitive about transferring the defenseman in any respect.
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