The Montreal Canadiens have commerce choices in the marketplace, however defenseman Arber Xhekaj shouldn’t be one in all them. Not but, anyway.
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As NHLRumors.com documented, Xhekaj remains to be growing as a defenseman. He performs with an edge that generally will get him in hassle with the referees. Being bodily tall in nature is nice, however he must develop the remainder of his sport defensively.
Nothing is assured within the NHL, even with a brand new two-year contract that he signed this previous offseason. However that has not stopped the rumor mill from spinning about this attainable commerce.
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Groups Are Focused on Arber Xhekaj
Former Montreal Canadiens enforcer Georges Laraque instructed French-Canadian radio that groups are excited by Xhekaj, and the Canadiens ought to reap the benefits of his good commerce worth.
“There are groups which might be excited by him and, in the event that they had been to get him out of Montreal, could be prepared to play him repeatedly of their lineup,” Laraque mentioned. “In the event that they don’t play him each sport, what’s the purpose of maintaining him? Many groups need him, and he’s received good commerce worth. Pull the set off.”
Look, there’s a logjam on protection in Montreal. The Canadiens have Xhekaj, Kaiden Guhle, Lane Hutson, David Savard, Mike Matheson, Jayden Struble, and Justin Barron, to not point out Logan Mailloux and David Reinbacher, the latter of whom is injured, growing within the system.
Once more, as TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger instructed TSN Radio in Montreal on Friday, there could be curiosity within the younger ahead from groups across the league.
“I’ll let you know this: if Kent Hughes ever determined to place Arber Xhekaj on the commerce block, there could be double-digit groups with curiosity in Arber Xhekaj and never simply the groups which have a transparent want for five, 6, seventh defensemen,” Dreger mentioned.
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Would It Be Smart To Commerce Xhekaj, and What Would the Return Be?
Nonetheless, would it not be the wisest of selections to commerce a defenseman like Arber Xhekaj and deplete an space of power for the Montreal Canadiens?
Dennis Bernstein of the Fourth Interval was on TSN Radio in Montreal on Friday. He doesn’t assume so, though there shall be curiosity. As he says, what is going to the return be for a man like this?
“Yeah, he’s younger, he’s reasonably priced, he has measurement, he’s imply, which, there’s not plenty of that going round on this league. So I completely agree with it. However what’s it sport 11? We’re speaking about buying and selling guys after you already traded guys within the low season for the offers you bought,” Bernstein mentioned. “You bought to determine, okay, possibly you wish to determine what your high seven is, and I get it, there’s going to be curiosity. However what’s the return going to come back again? What’s it going to be? Mid-round choose for that man? So what’s the purpose?
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I don’t assume the return would profit sending the man out except you completely positively say, okay, he’s not a part of our core. He’s not a part of our seven, and he’s not a part of our future. I don’t know, you bought him on a deal at $1.3 million for this yr and subsequent yr, after which he’s restricted after that, and he’s nonetheless, what, 23 years outdated. I wouldn’t surrender on the man, since you don’t actually have that kind of defenseman, like there. You want a type of guys.”
You see it firsthand from groups across the league when accidents occur and they don’t have the depth or gamers to fill in when a participant goes down. There’s a cautious story to observe, as we’re seeing in Los Angeles.
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“So I don’t see giving up on this man, since you’ve made adjustments already on this blue line and I might determine you’re going to commerce one other defenseman off this workforce,” Bernstein continued. “And I noticed it in Los Angeles. That they had depth on the suitable aspect, after which they traded on the suitable aspect defensemen, and now they actually don’t have any depth when Drew Doughty goes right down to an damage, so I’d be actually cautious on that, as a result of he’s nonetheless younger, and I simply query, sure, you may commerce him, however what are you going to get in return? Is it going to actually higher the group?”
Arber Xhekaj was again within the lineup in opposition to the Pittsburgh Penguins within the Canadiens 3-1 loss. Will probably be about matchups and utilization, however it’s nonetheless too early to surrender on a participant.
Nonetheless, Montreal’s most suitable choice proper now’s to maintain Xhekaj except GM Kent Hughes can not refuse the return.
