The Real Reason the Montreal Canadiens Won’t Trade Arber Xhekaj

0 Diana khan August 29, 2025

The NHL trade rumor mill is always churning, and the latest grist involves Montreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj. When reports surfaced that the rival Toronto Maple Leafs were sniffing around, it sent a ripple through the league. But let’s be clear: prying “WiFi” out of Montreal is going to be a tall order, and the price tag is sky-high for a reason.

Why a First-Round Pick for a Third-Pairing Defenseman?

According to hockey analyst Brian Wilde, the Canadiens’ asking price for Xhekaj is a first-round draft pick. That might sound steep for a defenseman who doesn’t light up the scoresheet, but it’s a price rooted in something far more valuable than points: fear. In an era where true enforcers are a dying breed, Xhekaj is a throwback in the best possible way. At 6’4″ and 240 pounds, he’s a physical specimen who changes the game with his mere presence. Last season, he racked up 180 hits in 70 games, and that number doesn’t even tell the whole story. The real impact is in the hits he doesn’t have to make—the opposing forwards who think twice about cutting to the net, the defensemen who rush their passes knowing he’s on the ice. That’s a level of intimidation you can’t quantify on a stat sheet.

From my perspective, trading a player like Xhekaj would be a mistake for the Canadiens. They’re a young team building an identity, and he’s a massive part of that. He’s the guy who makes everyone else on his team feel a little bit taller, a little bit safer. He’s the modern-day enforcer, and those guys are worth their weight in gold. The Canadiens don’t need more second-round picks; they need players who can make a difference right now, and Xhekaj does that in a way few others can.

The “very high ceiling” Wilde mentions isn’t about Xhekaj becoming a top-pairing defenseman; it’s about him becoming the most feared player in the league. That has immense value, and it’s why the Canadiens are right to demand a king’s ransom for him. It will be interesting to see if any team is desperate enough to pay that price, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. Xhekaj is a foundational piece for the Canadiens, and they know it.