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3 teams that could seek a trade with the Canadiens for Arber Xhekaj

An Arber Xhekaj trade seemed unlikely, but recent actions by the front office are raising eyebrows.

By Nate Duffett |
Los Angeles Kings v Montreal Canadiens
Los Angeles Kings v Montreal Canadiens / Minas Panagiotakis/GettyImages
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For the past two games, Martin St. Louis and the Montreal Canadiens have made Arber Xhekaj a healthy scratch. It isn't that surprising on a typical week, but with Kaiden Guhle out of the lineup and young players pushing him out of the way, people question his spot in the organization. Xhekaj was a player that could be cast away eventually once all the prospects blossomed into full-time players, but it's a bit surprising that it happened this early.

Georges Laraque is beginning to see the writing on the wall for Xhekaj and believes he may not be a favorite amongst the coaching staff.

“In Montreal, with the surplus of defencemen we have here, it doesn’t work. Martin St. Louis doesn’t like him,” Laraque said in French. “And that’s fine. He’s not the first coach to have players that he likes less than others. “The Montreal Canadiens will eventually trade Arber Xhekaj. Yes, I love Xhekaj, but if we don’t let him play every game, what’s the point in keeping him?”

It may be just mindless speculation, but some of Laraque's points make plenty of sense. Nevertheless, let's look at three teams who could use Xhekaj's services.

Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton Oilers v Montreal Canadiens
Edmonton Oilers v Montreal Canadiens / Minas Panagiotakis/GettyImages

The Edmonton Oilers must feel like they are in a bad dream. They rallied from 32nd in the league last season to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals and lose in Game 7. The issues from last season were gone, and they felt like they were contenders entering the 2024-25 season. However, they sit tied for 27th through seven games with the Chicago Blackhawks and Canadiens.

The Blackhawks and Canadiens are rebuilding organizations, so they're the last two teams with which the Oilers want to be tied. The Oilers' defense has almost looked as bad as the Canadiens' this season, and they need a big, physical defenseman after Vincent Desharnais' departure. Xhekaj won't be a player who elevates the Oilers back to the Stanley Cup Final, but he'd be a better piece than some of the options they currently have.

Calgary Flames

Calgary Flames v Montreal Canadiens
Calgary Flames v Montreal Canadiens / Minas Panagiotakis/GettyImages

The Calgary Flames were supposed to be one of the league's bottom-feeders this season. They had a veteran core that needed to play to their cap hit or capabilities and plenty of question marks in the net. This combination usually led to abysmal play. In a small sample size, the Flames proved the doubters wrong by winning five of their first six games and capturing the loser point in the sixth.

The apparent hole in the Flames' lineup is on the blue line. The depth plummets after MacKenzie Weegar and Rasmus Andersson, which could have the Flames looking to add a defenseman on top of a right-shot center. Xhekaj would instantly become one of the Flames' top options on the left side of their defense, as they only have Weegar, Jake Bean, Kevin Bahl, and Joel Hanley capable of playing minutes.

Utah Hockey Club

Arizona Coyotes v Montreal Canadiens
Arizona Coyotes v Montreal Canadiens / Minas Panagiotakis/GettyImages

Utah emphasized improving its backend in the offseason, which led to the acquisition of John Marino and Mikhail Sergachev. Utah has been one of the league's surprising teams, but its blue line is starting to crumble. Sean Durzi and Marino are month-to-month after undergoing surgeries, and they'll need to find someone to step in for the interim. Enter Xhekaj, who can step in a bottom-pairing role for the league's newest team, sell the game, and become a fan favorite with his play style.

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