The Montreal Canadiens’ handling of Arber Xhekaj is starting to sound like a real organizational split, with the question no longer limited to whether he stays or goes. The bigger issue now is what he is if he stays.
Xhekaj remains unsigned, and that alone has fueled trade chatter. There’s also been talk that Montreal could try him at forward, mostly because he doesn’t appear to have a locked-in job on defense with the roster as it stands. The logic is simple: he’s considered too good to leave unused, so the Canadiens either need to carve out a meaningful role for him or use him as part of a trade that helps fill a need or upgrade the team.
But that possible position change does not seem to be universally embraced inside the organization. On The Sick Podcast, Tony Marinaro suggested the gap may be between management and the coach. “I have a feeling that management-and I don’t know this, I’m speculating […]-from the outside, my perception is, and it’s pure speculation, that I think management would probably have less of a problem playing Xhekaj in an energy role on the 4th line than maybe the coach would have, actually seeing Xhekaj as a forward […]”
Jimmy Murphy also believes the situation is trending toward an uncertain ending. He said Xhekaj’s future in Montreal is in doubt and questioned why the player still hasn’t been signed or what is holding things up.
In Murphy’s view, the longer this drags on, the more likely it becomes that the defenseman gets moved. If Montreal does keep him, Murphy doesn’t expect any deal to run longer than two years, calling it another “show-me” contract.
And if Xhekaj doesn’t deliver, Murphy suggested he might not even finish the extension.
Murphy also said he expects movement around the league soon. “I do think we’re going to see some roster movement maybe even as early as this week,” said Murphy.
He added that he’s hearing teams are preparing for a busy stretch of roster changes, which could lead to a few trades. Whether Xhekaj is part of that activity remains unclear, though both Murphy and Marinaro raised the possibility that Montreal could focus first on dealing a winger.
In Other News...
Canadiens Suddenly Have A Chris Kreider Option Worth Debating
Chris Kreiders availability has changed the conversation for Montreal in a pretty meaningful way. Instead of needing to engineer a trade to get him out of New York, the Canadiens can now consider a straight free-agent signing, which opens the door to a shorter-term add that would not cost them assets. For a team still shaping its forward group, that kind of flexibility matters, especially when the player in question brings a track record of scoring, playoff experience and a heavier style that can play in more than one type of game.
The fit is easy to see from Montreals side because Kreider checks a lot of boxes the Canadiens have been missing at different points. He could provide a useful layer of immediate help without forcing a long-term commitment, and his physical presence would give the roster a different look. The unanswered part is whether Montreal sees enough value to move quickly on the idea, or whether this stays one of those tempting options that makes sense on paper but never quite reaches the finish line. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Face One Big Kirill Marchenko Trade Problem
Kirill Marchenkos name has quietly entered the trade conversation around the Blue Jackets, and that is enough to make the market worth watching for Canadiens fans. Columbus general manager Don Waddell has said he is willing to listen if teams come calling, even if he is not actively working the phones on a deal right now. Montreal has been mentioned as one of the clubs with interest, alongside the Islanders, which is no surprise given how hard it can be to find young scoring help without paying a premium.
The problem is the price tag and the type of return Columbus would actually require. Waddell has made it clear that any move would have to bring back a roster player who can help replace Marchenkos offense, and that is where the fit gets tricky for Montreal. Canadiens analyst Pierre McGuire has also expressed skepticism about whether the sides line up, saying he does not see a realistic match between what Columbus would want and what Montreal would be willing to part with. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Risk A Costly Distraction With Martin St. Louis Unsettled
Martin St. Louis has become one of the most important steadying forces in Montreal, and that matters even more now that the Canadiens are trying to turn their young core into a legitimate playoff group. His work behind the bench has been a big part of the development arc for key players, and the teams progress has made it harder to imagine the next step coming without some continuity at coach.
Still, the contract situation hanging over St. Louis adds a layer the Canadiens do not need as they try to keep moving forward. With a roster built around growth and internal belief, Montreal would be wise to settle the coaching picture before the next season becomes a backdrop for questions about his future. The Canadiens have enough to manage on the ice without letting uncertainty become part of the story around their bench. [Read more 🡒]