Arber Xhekaj

Montreal's Arber Xhekaj has become a marked man on the ice, with a Canadian-based rival apparently making it personal against the Habs defenseman. When a player starts getting targeted consistently, it usually means he's either doing something right or he's gotten under someone's skin - and in Xhekaj's case, it might be both. The question now is whether this kind of attention will affect his game or fuel his development as a physical presence on the blue line.

Arber Xhekaj's name is now appearing in trade conversations involving two of the league's more aggressive front offices. The Canadiens' defenseman has caught the attention of Calgary and Philadelphia, both teams looking to upgrade their blue lines before the season starts.

Calgary didn't just kick the tires on Arber Xhekaj - the Flames actually made a serious attempt to pry the defenseman away from Montreal. The fact that a trade didn't materialize tells us something important about either Montreal's asking price or the Canadiens' unwillingness to deal with a division rival.

Just when you thought the Dylan Larkin saga had settled into a holding pattern, a new wrinkle emerges that's got the trade rumor circuit buzzing again. Meanwhile, the chatter around Arber Xhekaj appears to be losing steam, suggesting that particular storyline may have run its course. The NHL's offseason never stays quiet for long, and today's developments remind us why front offices need to stay nimble through August.

The Arber Xhekaj situation in Calgary has taken a turn that complicates what looked like a straightforward acquisition for the Flames. Multiple teams are circling a defenseman who could reshape their blue line, and the price tag keeps climbing as the market heats up. Calgary's front office faces a delicate balancing act between staying aggressive and overpaying for a player who won't solve all their problems.

The Atlantic Division shows no signs of weakening as the 2026-27 season approaches, with multiple contenders jockeying for position in what remains one of the league's most brutal divisions. The talent concentration in this division means that even strong teams will struggle to separate themselves from the pack. Every night in the Atlantic feels like playoff hockey, and that's exactly how the teams in this division like it.