“Canadiens GM Kent Hughes Stands Firm on Retaining 23-Year-Old Star Despite Uncertain Future”

In hockey-crazy Montreal, fans quickly fell for their favorites. When Marc Bergevin signed undrafted defenseman Arber Xhekaj to an entry-level contract in October 2021, hardly anyone knew about the hard-hitting defenseman. Three years later, a significant part of the Canadiens’ fan base has grown fond of the 23-year-old blue-liner.

Is it because he came from humble beginnings, the son of two immigrants who taught their four children that hard work is the best way to achieve your dreams? Or perhaps because, while most teenagers were idle during the pandemic, Xhekaj was working at Costco? Maybe it’s because he used his signing bonus to buy all new appliances for his parents?

The most likely reason is that fans love the way he plays the game, but all of the above certainly don’t hurt. You know who else seems to love the oldest son of Jack and Simona Xhekaj? NHL general managers, that’s who. According to David Pagnotta, general manager Kent Hughes keeps getting calls about Xhekaj, and he keeps giving the same answer: no.

Hughes Getting Calls About Xhekaj Isn’t New
Last January, there were rumors about GMs calling Hughes about the robust player. They figured that since he had been sent down to Laval, he must have been available, but that wasn’t the case. Xhekaj was sent to Laval when he returned from an injury and needed to improve his defensive game, as Hughes explained in an interview with TVA Sports’ Jean-Charles Lajoie:

“Our plan is not to trade Arber Xhekaj. He’s not in the AHL because he’s no longer part of our plans… Arber was injured last year, then again this year. Last year, we couldn’t afford to send him down to the AHL. This year, Struble showed us he was ready. It’s not that he’s overtaken Xhekaj in our hierarchy. He allowed us to send him to the AHL to work on some aspects of his game.”

Since then, Xhekaj has been called up from the American Hockey League (AHL) and mostly paired with David Savard until his season ended due to a shoulder problem that required surgery. In his end-of-season press conference, he revealed that it was not a new injury, but one that had troubled him since his junior days. He admitted he should have had it treated earlier but didn’t want to stop playing in a contract year.

Xhekaj Was a Hit in Laval
While he was sent down to refine his game, Xhekaj showed he was a good “big brother” to Logan Mailloux in Laval. The two formed an interesting pair and could well be seen together on the same line in Montreal.

During his time with the Canadiens’ affiliate team, Laval head coach Jean-François Houle had positive things to say about the young player:

“It takes time sometimes. You have to get to know your teammates, and he played full time in the NHL last season, and he was sent down. It’s not fun for him, but I think he understands why he’s here… Up to now, he’s showed good things and I find him a lot more comfortable now.”

Although Xhekaj found his demotion mentally and physically challenging, he eventually realized that he had an opportunity to improve his game. He understood that allowing himself more time before moving the puck in the defensive zone could prevent costly turnovers. This should please the Habs brass, as this was the primary reason for his demotion.

Why Is Xhekaj a Unicorn?
Xhekaj is a rare breed of defenseman, a unique combination of strength and skill, old and new, defense and offense. While sometimes he appears to be a tough guy playing hockey like in the “old days,” at other times he demonstrates that he is a modern-day hockey player who can skate with the puck and pose a threat from the blue line.

Moreover, in his rookie season, he found a spot on the second power-play unit and displayed an ability to find shooting lanes, creating scoring chances for forwards by deflecting shots or pouncing on rebounds. Last season, he also showed he can unleash a powerful shot from the blue line, a shot that can catch a goalie off guard or make a defenseman think twice about blocking it.

Even though he can do all this, he isn’t afraid to “take one for the team” and stand up for a teammate or even drop the gloves if necessary. He made a name for himself early in his rookie season by facing off with tough players like Zack Kassian, Vincent Desharnais, and Mark Kastelic. Early last season, he also handled Toronto Maple Leafs tough guy Ryan Reaves. With him in the lineup, his teammates feel bigger and tougher, thinking they can take liberties, as Juraj Slafkovsky mentioned on the Raw Knuckles Podcast.

Although Xhekaj will never be a top-pairing defenseman and ideally would be a third-pairing guy on a contending team, having that skill set in a depth player is a luxury. Many teams’ third defense pairings consist of stay-at-home defensemen, and you might not even notice if one is replaced by a seventh defenseman on any given day. However, with Xhekaj, you know when he’s there and when he’s not. On July 1, he’ll be a restricted free agent, and given the calls he’s receiving, Montreal’s GM should prioritize re-signing him. After all, it could set the salary structure for the blue line.

That’s my take on why Hughes didn’t want to trade Xhekaj last January and still doesn’t. He’s open for business when it comes to other young defensemen, but it doesn’t sound like there are as many suitors