Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
The Philadelphia Flyers showed interest in Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj over the summer, as reported by David Pagnotta.
Whether Philadelphia remains interested is unclear.
Canadiens fans would hate to see Xhekaj go, but a change of scenery might actually be the best thing for him, especially if it means getting a bigger role elsewhere.
At 25, Xhekaj still has plenty to offer, and another team might be willing to give him an opportunity he hasn’t quite found in Montreal.
Pagnotta explained that the Flyers have had their eye on Xhekaj for a while and made inquiries about him throughout the summer. He couldn’t confirm whether Philadelphia is still pursuing him.
To be clear, there’s no indication that a trade is imminent. This is about past interest that could eventually resurface.
Flyers’ past interest in Arber Xhekaj puts Canadiens’ defensive depth and trade options in focus
Xhekaj carries a manageable $1.5 million cap hit, making his contract an easy one for interested teams to take on.
The bigger issue is Montreal’s crowded blue line, where competition for playing time has made it difficult for Xhekaj to carve out a consistent role.
But there’s another side to this situation: the Canadiens haven’t exactly been defending well.
The Canadiens have allowed 19 goals through five games, an average of 3.8 per contest, so trading away a defenseman while the team is still trying to tighten things up in its own end would come with some risk.
Here’s what Pagnotta had to say about Philadelphia’s interest:
“Arber Xhekaj is a guy they’ve had a lot of interest in for a while in Montreal. […] He’s somebody that they poked around on throughout the summer. I don’t know about recent, but that’s a player that has been on their radar in the past.”
– David Pagnotta
For now, there’s nothing to suggest Xhekaj is on his way out. But the Flyers’ interest is worth keeping an eye on, especially if his role in Montreal remains limited.
And there’s already an interesting date on the calendar: November 21, when the Flyers visit the Canadiens at the Bell Centre.
Previously on Montreal Hockey Fanatics
POLL
7 HOURS AGO|351 ANSWERS
Arber Xhekaj has been on the Flyers’ radar for months, giving Kent Hughes something to consider
Should the Canadiens trade Arber Xhekaj if he could have a bigger role elsewhere?