Arber Xhekaj still doesn't have a contract, and now there's a second team out west reportedly circling him.
Per Herb Zurkowsky of the Montreal Gazette, the Calgary Flames have shown real interest in the physical defenseman.
A source told Zurkowsky that Calgary's interest dates back to the trade deadline in March, putting them alongside the Philadelphia Flyers as known suitors this offseason.
The reports aren't entirely consistent though. Anthony Di Marco reported that Calgary's pursuit cooled off once the Flames acquired Jacob Middleton from Minnesota in the Blake Coleman trade last month.
Middleton posted 2 goals and 14 assists for 16 points in 75 games last season, the kind of physical depth piece that could reduce Calgary's need for someone like Xhekaj.
So what's actually holding up a decision on the 6-foot-4, 240-pound blueliner? A lot of it comes down to leverage, or the lack of it.
Xhekaj and agent Brian Bartlett didn't file for arbitration, reportedly to avoid creating hard feelings between the sides.
Xhekaj and Habs reportedly at a real crossroads
That decision leaves Xhekaj without much negotiating power now that his previous $1,300,000 deal has expired.
Zurkowsky's read is pretty direct. "The contract should have been done by now. There's not a lot of wiggle room or grey area," he wrote.
Bartlett can probably push for a modest raise in year one of a new deal, while Montreal likely wants either a three year bridge to protect its asset, or a one year deal while both sides keep figuring out his actual role.
That gap is exactly why Zurkowsky frames Xhekaj and the Canadiens as sitting at a genuine crossroads right now.
Part of the complication is roster crunch. Montreal's blue line is getting crowded, and Xhekaj isn't the only name the front office needs to sort out.
Jayden Struble is already on the roster, posting 2 goals and 10 assists for 12 points in 59 games last season, and his long term fit factors into this same equation.
Adam Engstrom and David Reinbacher are both knocking on the door from the AHL too, adding even more uncertainty about who actually holds a real NHL spot next season.
None of this means Xhekaj is getting traded. It just means Montreal has real decisions to make about size, term, and money before training camp opens.
With two outside suitors reportedly still in the picture and no urgency forcing either side's hand, this situation looks likely to drag right up until camp starts.
Source: Canadiens' RFA Arber Xhekaj Has Another Suitor, Out West
Should the Canadiens sign Arber Xhekaj to a short bridge deal instead of a longer contract?
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