Arber Xhekaj is the odd man out in St. Louis, and that alone would be enough to spark conversation. But with Detroit Red Wings executive Kris Draper in the building, the Canadiens’ lineup shuffle has quickly turned into a fresh round of trade chatter.
Xhekaj is a healthy scratch, while Adam Engstrom is back in the Montreal lineup. Draper is watching from the stands, and this is his third Canadiens game in their last four. That timing has people wondering whether the Red Wings are taking a close look at Engstrom, or even at Oliver Kapanen.
There’s no official explanation for the decision, and nothing has been confirmed about trade talks. Still, the optics are hard to ignore.
It’s a tough night for Xhekaj, especially given that he’s arguably playing the best hockey of his career. He’s 25, has no points in 11 games, and sits at a -2 rating, but he also brings a physical edge to the Canadiens’ back end. Some believe there’s a real case for him to be in the lineup.
Engstrom, meanwhile, gets a chance to show himself. The 22-year-old has appeared in five games this season and has yet to record a point, though he does carry a +2 rating. If Montreal wants to give a young defenseman a runway in front of a team executive from Detroit, this would be the kind of spot that gets attention.
The Canadiens are 6-3-2, and with a crowded blue line, Martin St. Louis has had to make choices about who dresses on a given night.
That part is straightforward. What isn’t straightforward is the layer of speculation that comes with Draper’s presence and Engstrom’s return.
For now, it’s all theory. There’s no confirmation that Montreal is shopping Engstrom, and no confirmation that Draper is there specifically to evaluate him.
The same goes for Kapanen. But when a young defenseman gets in, a regular like Xhekaj sits, and a Red Wings scout is once again in the crowd, fans are going to connect the dots.
In Other News...
Oliver Kapanen Suddenly Has A Real Chance To Change Canadiens Plans
Oliver Kapanen is back from a lower-body injury and suddenly finds himself in a very different spot in the Canadiens lineup. After opening the season on the fourth line, he now has a chance to skate in a far more prominent role, the kind of opportunity that can alter how a team views a young center far beyond a short stretch of games.
Kapanen has yet to post a point in his four appearances this season, but Montreal has long liked the idea of what he could become as a reliable two-way center. With more responsibility now in front of him, the focus shifts from simply getting him back up to speed to whether he can show enough poise and skill to strengthen the clubs long-term plans down the middle. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Suddenly Feel Closer To A Dylan Larkin Trade Watch
The Canadiens found themselves under a little extra scrutiny during their meeting with the Blues, with Red Wings assistant general manager Kris Draper in the stands as Detroit continued to do background work tied to Dylan Larkins trade market. It was a quiet but notable bit of scouting, the kind that can turn a routine regular-season game into a useful checkpoint for front offices looking ahead.
Darren Dreger reported that Detroit is keeping tabs on Montreal and St. Louis even though neither club is currently on Larkins list of preferred landing spots. For now, the Red Wings are simply gathering information and staying prepared in case that list changes, which leaves both teams in an interesting holding pattern as the conversation around Larkins availability continues to develop. [Read more 🡒]
Hurricanes Face A Growing Alexander Nikishin Problem This Offseason
The Canadiens still have some lineup questions to sort through before they decide how hard to push in the trade market, and that hesitation makes the rest of the offseason worth watching from Montreals perspective. Internally, the organization has options it can evaluate first, with Luke Mittelstadt, Adam Engstrom, Alexander Zharovsky and Michael Hage among the names in the mix before the front office decides whether it needs to go bigger elsewhere.
Around the league, the defense market is already taking shape in ways that could matter to Montreal. Nashville continues to monitor that space, while Alexander Nikishin has become an increasingly interesting case because not every team sees his value the same way. There is also a broader salary-picture component to the offseason, with Drew Doughty signaling a desire to stay in Los Angeles on a team-friendly deal, even though nothing has been finalized yet. [Read more 🡒]