What Canadiens’ Next Deal Should Look Like With RFA Arber Xhekaj – Hockey Writers – Montreal Canadiens

Anyone getting impatient with Montreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj remaining unsigned should keep a few things in mind:

• He’s certainly not alone, with forward Zachary Bolduc, another restricted free agent, yet to re-sign. And it’s unlikely the Habs will forget about either of them, let alone both.
• With the Habs reportedly still wanting David Reinbacher, all signs point to them relying on Xhekaj more.

That last point is key, because, despite that VAT reporter Anthony Martineau said the Canadiens hoped Reinbacher could earn a roster spot with the team out of training camp, still playing lefty Xhekaj over him in the playoffs when winning was most important… However, in Reinbacher’s place, the Habs played lefty Xhekaj opposite teammates Jayden Struble and Kaiden Guhle for most of the admittedly small games. 105:12 played in the playoffs (8:06 per game).

Xhekaj Continues to Be the Last Resort for Canadiens

Of course, fans of the rugged defenseman would like to see Xhekaj play more and there is little way to wear the fact that not only is his time on ice down compared to the regular season (11:25), but that his regular season time on ice is also down compared to 2024-25 (14:37). However, when the stakes were too high, the Canadiens turned to him, which is an improvement in the way head coach Martin St. Louis only dressed Xhekaj in Game 3 of the team’s 2025 first-round series against the Washington Capitals, as a seemingly last resort.

The move to inject vitality into the lineup paid immediate dividends with the win cutting the series deficit to 2-1. It even seemed like it was going to swing the momentum in the team’s favor, as they were leading Game 4 in the third period, before, of all things, Tom Wilson’s hit (on Alexandre Carrier) that indirectly led to the game-tying goal and eventual five-game losing streak. A twist of fate like this should have put the onus on the Canadiens to commit to playing (and developing) Xhekaj more, not less, in 2025-26, and yet the Habs have undeniably improved as a team, which admittedly suggests they don’t recognize Xhekaj, but that and their whole approach works.

Still, in a world where the Canadiens have re-signed the inactive Kirby Dach, albeit one season into a deal that could potentially roll over to unrestricted free agency next summer, Xhekaj represents another asset they’d be foolish to dispose of without increasing his value, somehow.

Debunking Xhekaj Trade Rumors

Could that be commercial? Anything can happen, with the rumors swirling (from ‘Trade rumors surrounding undrafted Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj,’ Montreal newspaperJuly 24, 2026) to be so. However, since his younger brother, Florian, was drafted by the organization, which seemed to be off the board to do so, in the fourth round in 2024, it seems unlikely.

All I can say is, whatever Arber wants to stay in, Florian is expected to make the team at some point as a top six hitter. And the Canadiens appear to be heavily invested in the project so far and should still want Arber in the mix somehow. That position remains a mystery, with their qualifying offer of $1.3 million for the RFA representing his previous game on a two-year contract. So, it makes sense that Xhekaj would hold on for more. How much in the end is the question.

The Canadiens re-signed Struble, who finds himself in the same boat as Xhekaj, trying to stay on the roster and gain traction within the organization as a 25-year-old defenseman, for a two-year, $2.83 million deal last summer as an RFA. His $1,412,500 cap hit is probably what the Habs are ultimately looking at, while, adjusting for inflation, $1.5 million is probably where the two sides ultimately meet. A two-year term also seems like a fair deal.

Although Dach filed for arbitration, Xhekaj had the right to but decided against it, and suggested he was more than happy to stay with the Canadiens. However, with Dach’s last one-year, $3.6 million extension potentially bringing him into unrestricted free agency, it’s easy to imagine the Habs being free to keep Xhekaj in the fold without eating up any of his free agency, which would mean another two-year contract, similar to his last, allowing both sides to go their separate ways if that card actually expires. Xhekaj can explore other options, while the Habs can explore where they are with Reinbacher at that point.

Of course, it may not take that long for Reinbacher to establish himself as a mainstay, but, for now, it’s clear that he has a ways to go. Although that’s true of Xhekaj as well, at least in the eyes of the Canadiens, based on how he’s held up in the past, and they technically needed Xhekaj out of Round 1 this spring. Remember that. The Habs should be in the discussion as well.