Montreal Canadiens
Canadiens Sign Arber Xhekaj After Near Trade Last Season
The Montreal Canadiens have signed defenseman Xhekaj after trade interest almost saw him moved to another team that likes toughness.
The Montreal Canadiens have signed defenseman Arber Xhekaj to a two-year, $2.6 million contract extension, averaging $1.3 million annually. The extension was announced on Tuesday morning, with most Habs fans calling the singing a real win for the organization. It’s good news for the Canadiens, who seriously considered trading the defenseman less than a year ago.
In 95 games with the Canadiens, Xhekaj has 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists) and a -3 rating while averaging 15:34 per game. The undrafted defenseman made a significant impact just one season after signing his entry-level contract with the Canadiens. It wasn’t that long ago — when the OHL shut down due to COVID-19 in 2020 — that Xhekaj was working at Costco when the OHL season was shut down.
Xhekaj signed with Montreal in October 2021 and spent his final junior season in the Ontario Hockey League, playing for both the Kitchener Rangers and Hamilton Bulldogs. He came into the NHL like gangbusters but took a bit of a step back and there was chatter he might be on the trade block last season. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman (h/t ProHockeyRumors), reported that Xhekaj drew trade interest from the Philadelphia Flyers. However, no deal was made.
He returned last season and rebounded a bit in a depth role on the team. A roster-first guy, he’s known for taking on all on-comers and is willing to do anything for his teammates.
Xhekaj Has A Lot More Room to Grow for Canadiens
This deal is a solid bet for the Canadiens. Xhekaj, known for his physical play, can also make plays. He takes several minor penalties (which he’ll need to clean up), but his overall contributions make him a valuable depth defenseman. He’s considered, in many ways, part of the heart and soul of the Canadiens roster, even though he’s played relatively little professional hockey.
His performance and potential growth make the $1.3 million AAV a bargain for the Canadiens, ensuring they retain a promising player at a reasonable cost.
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