Will the Maple Leafs ACTUALLY Trade with the Canadiens? The Shocking Arber Xhekaj Rumor You Can’t Ignore

0 Diana khan August 26, 2025

In the high-stakes world of the NHL, where every move is scrutinized, the idea of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens making a trade seems almost unthinkable. The animosity between these two Original Six franchises runs deep, a rivalry etched in the annals of hockey history. Yet, here we are, dissecting a rumor that could see one of the Habs’ most polarizing players don a blue and white sweater.

This is the kind of story that gets the blood pumping. The Leafs are all-in on a Stanley Cup, while the Canadiens are building for a sustainable future. On the surface, a trade seems impossible, but look a little deeper, and you’ll find a move that could make a strange kind of sense for both sides.

Why Arber Xhekaj is on the Maple Leafs’ Radar

The Toronto Maple Leafs are a team loaded with skill, but they’ve been accused of lacking the sandpaper needed to win in the playoffs. Enter Arber Xhekaj, a player who is a throwback to a bygone era. At 6’4″, he’s an intimidating presence on the ice, a player who can single-handedly change the momentum of a game with a bone-jarring hit or by dropping the gloves.

While the Leafs have added some grit with players like Dakota Joshua and Michael Pezzetta, they don’t have a true enforcer, a player who strikes fear into the hearts of their opponents. Xhekaj is that player. He wouldn’t be asked to score 20 goals a season, but he would be tasked with protecting the likes of Easton Cowan, Matias Maccelli, and Nick Robertson. Imagine a player like Xhekaj patrolling the blue line, and you can see why the Leafs are intrigued.

A second-round pick might seem like a steep price for a player with more penalty minutes than points, but for a team in the Leafs’ position, it’s a small price to pay for the kind of toughness that wins championships. And let’s be honest, the “Leafs tax” is a real thing. The Canadiens will likely ask for a little something extra to sweeten the deal, perhaps a player like Marshall Rifai, who doesn’t have a clear path to the NHL in Toronto. A second-round pick and a depth player for a player who could be a game-changer in the playoffs? That’s a deal the Leafs should make every day of the week.