Arber Xhekaj may not have played a large role in the Montreal Canadiens blueline last season, but he has an important role. He brings physicality and grit to this team that really no other player does.
For the Canadiens, the challenge is that they really don't have a path to getting him more minutes, or at the very least consistent ice time, due to the fact that they already have too many left-handed defenseman. He is still a restricted free agent entering the final week of July, and there really isn't a clear answer to what's next for Xhekaj.
Recently, David Pagnotta on the DFO Rundown mentioned that the contract negotiations between the two sides is still status quo. He also mentioned that teams are paying attention and would be interested in trading for the defenseman if the Canadiens decide to go that route.
One of the teams that might have interest is the Philadelphia Flyers. Pagnotta noted that this is not anything new, and the Flyers have been interested in Xhekaj for some time now.
Could the Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers be able to pull off a trade?
Based on rumors over the past six months or so, there seems to be the framework for a ready-made trade between these two teams. One of the reasons that the Canadiens haven't signed Arber Xhekaj yet is that they have too many left-handed defenseman and probably want to add some balance to their blueline.
Around the trade deadline, it was rumored that the Canadiens had interest in Rasmus Ristolainen. A deal never got done, but the Flyers have continued to make the veteran defenseman available this summer.
Ristolainen is a veteran defenseman who also could help the Canadiens achieve that balance, being a right-handed defenseman. The biggest concern with him is his injury history, as he has played over 45 games in a single season only once over the past three years.
However, it could end up being a great move for the Canadiens to make the trade now if they believe Xhekaj doesn't have a path to a regular ice time. Ristolainen is entering the final year of his contract with an AAV of $5.1 million.
That leaves them with plenty of options, as they could trade for him now, and if the move doesn't work out, they can still trade him at the trade deadline and recoup some assets.
It is hard to imagine that the two sides would agree to a one-for-one trade, so there would need to be additional pieces included in a trade. However, if the Flyers have interest in Xhekaj and Ristolainen fills a need for Montreal, this feels like an easy deal to get done.
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