It’s no secret that the Montreal Canadiens will probably have to offload (at least) one of their many young defencemen to balance their lineup over the offseason.
And despite the ongoing NHL playoffs, signals suggest that the Canadiens are already fielding inquiries about one of them.
According to a new report from NHL insider David Pagnotta, interest in Arber Xhekaj around the league continues to pour in. But Montreal GM Kent Hughes remains opposed to moving the imposing blueliner.
“As recent as this week, teams continue to ask the Montreal Canadiens about defenceman Arber Xhekaj, but Habs GM Kent Hughes keeps turning them away,” Pagnotta wrote in a Sunday article.
The Hamilton native also garnered trade interest back in January, with multiple teams calling Montreal about him while he was playing out a conditioning stint in the AHL.
Bringing toughness and physicality to Montreal’s young lineup, it’s understandable why Hughes is not interested in making a deal involving the 23-year-old. He is, however, still keen on moving one of the Habs’ more expendable backend pieces in an offseason deal.
“Hughes isn’t interested in moving the sturdy blueliner but is open to moving some of his other young defencemen,” Pagnotta added.
Xhekaj, who went undrafted, signed a three-year, $2.485 million contract with Montreal in 2021. The 6-foot-4 defenceman has logged eight goals, 23 points, and 182 penalty minutes over 95 NHL games.
But even if Xhekaj’s off the table, given Montreal’s surplus of up-and-coming defencemen, which includes Lane Hutson, Logan Mailloux, Adam Engstrom, and David Reinbacher, making a trade to bolster their offence over the coming months would not come as a surprise.
Speaking with media after the NHL Draft Lottery’s results were announced last Tuesday, Hughes shed some light on what kind of player the Habs are looking for, revealing that they are interested in selecting a forward.