The Calgary Flames’ blue line is already crowded, and that’s exactly why the latest Arber Xhekaj chatter feels out of place.
A new report has tied the Montreal Canadiens defenseman back to Calgary, reviving a rumor that has surfaced several times over the past year. Xhekaj, the hard-hitting blue liner, has long been mentioned as a possible fit with the Flames, but the fit looks shaky at best given where the roster stands now.
Calgary has spent the past two summers stockpiling young talent on defense, and the group it has assembled could be the backbone of the team for a long time. Kevin Bahl, Simon Nemec, Hunter Brzustewicz, Yan Kuznetsov, Zayne Parekh and Carson Carels give the Flames a deep pool of youth on the back end, while Zach Whitecloud, Jake Middleton and Joel Hanley add more bodies to the mix. That leaves the team with some major decisions to make in the coming months.
The problem with adding Xhekaj is simple: there may not be room. Calgary is already sorting through Middleton, Kuznetsov, Hanley, Whitecloud, Pachal and Brzustewicz for two spots moving forward. Bringing in another defenseman would only tighten the logjam, not solve it.
Even if the Flames moved someone like Whitecloud, the priority should still be on players with real upside who are under 23. Xhekaj doesn’t fit that lane, at least not for a team trying to keep opening space for its young blue liners.
Craig Conroy has steered clear of moves that don’t line up with the bigger picture, and after giving up assets to land Simon Nemec earlier in the offseason, he needs to show that same discipline again. Calgary also has to make a decision on one or two veterans who could end up blocking the path for its younger defensemen.
So while the rumor has been revived, it doesn’t make much sense for the Flames. The fit just isn’t there for Xhekaj in Calgary.
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For Calgary, the bigger question is not whether Xhekaj could help, but whether the need is still as pressing as it looked earlier. The latest rumblings around the league, from Torontos search for help on Auston Matthews wing to Vancouvers long-term planning off the ice, only underline how quickly priorities can move in the NHL. The Flames may like the idea of another steady defender, but after their recent moves, the front office has to decide if this is still the right moment to keep chasing that fit. [Read more 🡒]
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What makes the situation even more interesting is the layer of uncertainty around the rest of the group. Zach Whitecloud and Hunter Brzustewicz are among the names with more to prove, whether that ends up meaning a clearer role in Calgary or perhaps a different kind of value altogether. It gives the Flames a useful problem, but also one that will need answers through camp, performance and maybe even the trade market before the picture settles. [Read more 🡒]