Canadiens Makes Big move on Arber Xhekaj Contract Negotiations

Few players have had a more exciting debut into the NHL than Montreal Canadiens defenceman Arber Xhekaj, who will become a restricted free agent this summer.

His physical prowess has undoubtedly added a degree of excitement to the mix, which is critical for keeping fans involved during seasons when the Canadiens struggle to win 30 games.

Arber Xhekaj’s Value
Of course, the 23-year-old Hamilton native brings more than tremendous hits and heavyweight fights.

While the Habs have a wealth of young defencemen, the majority of them have struggled to sustain decent underlying NHL performances. That is entirely natural for a squad going through a rebuild. However, when a single defenseman manages to produce above-replacement possession stats in a sea of mediocrity, it’s worth paying attention.

We don’t need to go over the figures again because we’ve already discussed it numerous times, but suffice it to say that Xhekaj’s play has improved to the point where he might be called a core member of the defensive group.

That may sound foolish, especially given the NHL’s tendency to dismiss third-line defencemen as readily replaceable assets, but there is value in a player producing very encouraging numbers, even if it is in an environment favorable to playing well.

Many defencemen spend the majority of their time on the third pairing, but few, if any, contribute as much as Xhekaj does.

Arber Xhekaj shoots THROUGH the net. pic.twitter.com/ESsltMpR4e

— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) October 8, 2023

Montreal Canadiens – Arber Xhekaj Contract Comparisons

Beyond Xhekaj, only defenseman Justin Barron and winger Jesse Ylonen will be considered for extensions, as both are poised to become restricted free agents.

The Canadiens will have plenty of cap space, but they have players like Kaiden Guhle and Juraj Slafkovsky on contract extensions for the next season, so they’ll have to be careful with their spending going ahead.

Xhekaj is a unique defenseman, but there are a few players that could provide insight into the potential price range of an extension.

Jordan Harris, a fellow Hab, just received a two-year contract extension worth $1.4 million annually. Harris and Xhekaj have maintained the same 5v5 productivity pace and are vastly underappreciated by both fans and the media.

Statistically speaking, Xhekaj performed slightly better in 2023-24, but not much better than his fellow blueliner.

We can also look at Jeremy Lauzon’s deal for 2022-23, which pays him $2 million every season. Lauzon is a hard-hitting defenseman who took a little longer than Xhekaj to break into the NHL, and he doesn’t come close to Xhekaj’s scoring ability.

Marc Bergevin signed former Hab Brett Kulak to a three-year, $1.85 million AAV contract in 2019-20, a deal that proved to be quite valuable for the Canadiens, especially considering the draft pick acquired in the trade-deadline deal that sent Kulak to the Oilers turned out to be phenom Lane Hutson

Arber Xhekaj Extension Considerations

Xhekaj is a competent player in a limited capacity, but like with any other NHLPA member, there are a few factors to consider before Kent Hughes and company enter into serious contract negotiations.

The first thing that springs to mind is his health.

Playing a very physical style of hockey comes at a cost.

Xhekaj has endured back-to-back season-ending operations.

It is probably not fair to suggest that his health situation should be regarded seriously. One of the main reasons supporters fell in love with Xhekaj in the first place was his willingness to put his body on the line for his team.

However, this is the reality of professional sports.

The next critical component will be keeping a balanced budget while the team works toward the future. The Canadiens are one of the league’s youngest teams, therefore most of their players have yet to reach their statistical peak and will be seeking for increases in the near future.

On the other hand, Hughes understands what Xhekaj means to the organization.

Xhekaj is the player who has addressed many of Habs fans’ long-held fears, which sprang from years, if not decades, of witnessing their favorite team be pushed around.

He’s the new Lyle Odelein with a Chris Nilan veneer, but I’d also compare him to John Ferguson Junior in that he’s one of the toughest players in the NHL but doesn’t always have to fight to prove his worth.

And, despite the fact that his fists are weapons of mass destruction, he contributes more to the team on the ice than in the penalty box.