The Montreal Canadiens are a team to watch heading into the March 8th NHL Trade Deadline. They have several places to watch, not only the goaltenders but the defensemen as well. However, one player that is not moving is defenseman Arber Xhekaj. As of now, he is one of the young defensemen that is untouchable.
NHL Rumors: Montreal Canadiens Jake Allen and David Savard will generate trade interest
Canadiens Not Moving Defenseman Arber Xhekaj
Dave Pagnotta of the Fourth Period joined TSN Montreal Radio on Monday for his weekly hit and asked if the other 31 NHL teams had inquired about Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Host: “Lot of talk about a minor league defenseman here in Montreal in Arber Xhekaj and the trade front. How many teams are knocking for a player like this?”
Dave Pagnotta: “I think 31 other teams would love to get their hands on a player like this. And perhaps him, that player specifically, but you know as it’s been, as it’s been noted out there, he’s not going anywhere. The Canadiens don’t have an appetite to move him.
We’ve talked about this before on the show that depth that the Canadiens have on the back end with all their young kids coming up; he’s in the A right now; he’s down in Laval. It’s not because he can’t play with the Habs right now. It’s because he is getting his ice time, and the Canadiens are trying to see what some of their guys right now can do with their right side at the NHL level.
NHL Rumors: Some potential fits for Montreal Canadiens center Sean Monahan
We know what Xhekaj can do at the NHL level. So, let’s see what some of these other guys can do, as well. And yeah, because he’s been down there, it’s, you know, prompted some teams to make these inquiries as teams always do, and managers will always do, but the Canadiens know what they have in him. And they liked it. So, for now, too bad. So sad for the other teams.”