Arber Xhekaj’s contract standoff with the Montreal Canadiens just received a significant update, and this time the discussion has moved beyond term length or dollar figures.
On the DFO Rundown, Patrick Puff put a direct question to Jeff Marek: does he believe the Canadiens would actually consider moving Xhekaj? Marek’s response was immediate and unambiguous. “Yes, I do,” he said, offering little hesitation. That straightforward answer carries weight in a situation that, until now, has largely been framed as a standard restricted free-agent negotiation.
Xhekaj remains an unsigned restricted free agent. He has not filed for arbitration and still lacks a new contract after his previous $1.3 million deal expired. Last season he recorded one goal and three assists for four points in 65 games, while posting 178 hits and 116 penalty minutes. That physical, high-energy profile has kept his name linked to trade speculation throughout the summer.
Embed X: https://twitter.com/NHLRumourReport/status/2085818260340052167
Philadelphia and Calgary have both been reported as interested suitors. Marek’s comment adds credible weight to the possibility that Montreal might be prepared to listen seriously rather than simply wait out the talks.
Part of what makes the scenario plausible is the traffic jam on Montreal’s blue line. Jayden Struble is already established on the roster, while Adam Engstrom and David Reinbacher continue to push for NHL opportunities from the AHL. That depth gives general manager Kent Hughes genuine options, and options make it far easier to justify moving a player of Xhekaj’s type internally.
Herb Zurkowsky had previously described Xhekaj and the Canadiens as sitting at a genuine crossroads. Marek’s assessment fits that framing precisely. When NHL Rumour Report shared the exchange, it elevated the story from routine contract speculation to something worth watching closely as training camp approaches.
A respected insider stating plainly that he believes a team would look at moving a player represents a different level of signal than fan theories built solely on unresolved talks. With no new deal in place and the calendar tightening, Xhekaj’s situation in Montreal increasingly looks less like a bridge contract waiting to be signed and more like a genuine fork in the road.