Suggested Trade Sees Canadiens Deal Arber Xhekaj to the Ducks – The Hockey Writers –

The Montreal Canadiens and Anaheim Ducks both had solid campaigns last season. The Canadiens got to the Eastern Conference Final, where they were eliminated by the eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Carolina Hurricanes, while the Ducks shocked the hockey world by eliminating the Edmonton Oilers before they were taken out by the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round.

But now, both teams seem to be in different situations. The Canadiens have their core of players locked down with no salary cap issues, with some flexibility to try and make a big move if they choose to do so. The Ducks, on the other hand, still need to re-sign Cutter Gauthier and have some cap issues following the offer sheet drama that gave Leo Carlsson an $18 million annual salary over the next five seasons.

The Ducks need to figure out a way to clear cap space, re-sign Gauthier, and improve their defensive depth if they want any chance of making it back to the playoffs this season. One way they could improve their blue line is by targeting Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj.

In this article, we take a look at a hypothetical trade sending Xhekaj to the Ducks. Keep in mind, this isn’t a real trade, but it is simply a hypothetical idea. There have been some rumours that teams around the league have shown interest in Xhekaj, who still doesn’t have a new deal for the 2026-27 season, but there is no indication the Habs have any interest in moving him.

Desperation Combined With Xhekaj’s Value Could Increase Return

At this point, the Ducks have to get desperate to improve their blue line. If they can’t find a way to do that, they have almost no chance of getting into the postseason.

That’s where Xhekaj comes in, but he won’t be cheap. His physical style of play could replace what was lost with the departures of Jacob Trouba and Radko Gudas. He won’t add much in terms of offensive production, having notched only 33 points through 230 career games, but as a bottom-pairing defensemen, he could be exactly what the Ducks need to give their depth a bit of a boost.

The Canadiens clearly value Xhekaj; otherwise, they likely would’ve traded him already, given the interest from around the league in acquiring him. If they aren’t able to agree on a new deal, the Ducks could be willing to overpay in a trade to land him, and could give him more term on a new deal.

Ducks Would Have to Clear More Cap Space

Given the Ducks’ current cap situation, they would have to clear more cap space for this deal to work. They would likely have to part with Alex Killorn, Chris Kreider, and Frank Vatrano, significantly depleting their forward depth.

However, they need to make sure they keep Gauthier around, and their top-end talent should be enough to give them the scoring they need; it’s their blue line that needs attention.

Habs Land Decent Package, Ducks Add Strength

Assuming the Ducks can make this all work, the Habs could ask for a prospect and a draft pick in return, and likely have no pushback. Obviously, they won’t be getting a first-round pick or a top-end prospect for Xhekaj, but the Ducks do have three second-round picks in the 2027 NHL Draft, and have some attractive names in their system.

A hypothetical deal looks like this:

• Ducks Receive: D Arber Xhekaj
• Canadiens Receive: C/LW Nico Myatovic, 2027 second-round Pick (originally owned by the Blues), Ducks’ own 2027 seventh-round Pick.

This offer is likely something the Canadiens can’t turn down, and while they do lose someone who adds physicality to their lineup, they bring back a decent prospect in Myatovic, and two draft picks that could be flipped later if they choose to do so.

We’ll see what ends up happening with Xhekaj and whether he gets traded or not before the season starts, but if he does, I can see the Ducks being the team that can offer the best package, assuming they can figure out the rest of their business first.

As the 2026-27 season approaches, be sure to continue following The Hockey Writers as your source for news, updates, and more from around the NHL and the hockey world.